DJ NDHA goes hardcore
My Uni days in Wellington in the late nineties, early 2000’s were spent going to see bands like Dayone, Sommerset, Tried For Treason, Pedal Faster and many others that have been and gone.
Getting the chance to explore some of the more recent albums we have archived has renewed my passion for this genre of music and made me content the ‘scene’ is still active and producing great bands. Here’s a few albums that we have recently added to our collection that you can listen to online.
Displaced / Jurassic Penguin
With influences like Pantera and early Poison the Well, I knew I was going to like these guys. It’s good to see this type of straight up heavy hardcore is still alive and swinging. This is Jurassic Penguins second full length, as well as recording a split release with The Voyage and Backswing, two other up and coming West Auckland hardcore bands I recommend you check out.
Listen | Collection record | Bandcamp
Crawler / Crawler
Crawler are a Hardcore/Punk/Sludge band from Auckland. The majority of the album is punctuated by short, guitar heavy songs with machine gun drumming and screaming vocals, including my favourite, Broken Jars, which reminds me a bit of One King Down. Creature is an epic 10 minute track with slow droning guitars and split vocals, reminiscent of early Day One. Not to be outdone the last track clocks in at 14 minutes and is mainly instrumental with plenty of distorted, droney soundscapes. (Warning: a bit sweary.)
Listen | Collection Record | Bandcamp
No Where to Run / The Dead Scene
The Dead Scene are a fast paced melodic hardcore/punk band from Wellington. No Where to Run is a very catchy album and seems to take some strong influences from NZ bands like Kitsch and Sommerset. Track 4, 'The way the story goes' is almost a tribute to fast cars, slow guitars era Sommerset. I’ve yet to see these guys live but I bet they would put on a blistering show!
Listen | Collection record | Bandcamp
Black Chrome / Black Chrome
Black Chrome are a refreshingly no-nonsense old school punk band from Palmerston North. Melodic guitars are offset by gravelly vocals in the vein of bands like Rancid or The Rabble. This album was released in 2006 and they have since released HomoRockClub in 2009, which you can also listen to through our catalogue. (Warning: also a bit sweary.)
Listen | Collection record | Bandcamp
Walking Home EP / Walking Home
This has to be one of my favourite discoveries of late. The recording is pretty basic but the potential is definitely there! They list their influences as Blink 182, Comeback Kid and Deathcab for Cutie but I would also add Lifetime into the mix as the singer's slightly off key, raspy vocals are reminiscent of these hardcore pioneers - especially on 'Walking to Waiting', my favourite track. I hope they release a full length album soon!
Listen | Collection record | Bandcamp
Hey there! Not sure if you check this anymore but walking home just released a full length with some 're recordings and heaps of new tracks. It's on their bandcamp. Check it out and hit them up, they found it funny that anyone listened to it at all.