goon life

Here's a new demo that will likely go down in my top ten for this year along with the Violent Reaction demo, the new tape from Toronto's Violent Future. If you've any knowledge of the current hardcore scene from this city then you'll likely know what this demo sounds like. Rough and tumble hardcore akin to moderns like townmen Urban Blight and Bad Choice. These guys easily make home in this current resurgence of gruff, angry hardcore that draws equally from early 80's Boston hardcore like SSD and Last Rights, early NY hardcore like Agnostic Front and 80's Oi! ala 4 Skins and Combat 84.

Where these guys differ from the aforementioned moderns is how much they draw from the English Oi! movement. I don't pretend to be any kind of Oi! commentator but the six tracks that comprise this demo are all built around a mid paced, stomping 1-2 beat as opposed to any kind of break out, fast rage, and with that a somewhat different vibe is created. The fellow's vocals also lend heavily to that era of music with his throaty gruff approach. When I fist heard this demo I thought it was actually Beav from Urban Blight on the mic, their styles are just that similar, but upon receipt of a hard copy in the mail I've learnt otherwise. I can't imagine that a band of this style, from this town hasn't got something to do with that same scene though through sharing members or something, somewhere along the line.

Somewhat professional presentation for a demo. Nice, folded, thick card insert, printed in full colour with some cool artwork and a sticker labeled cassette.

Great demo out of nowhere with relatively no warning. Good shit.