Californian hardcore legends rush to give us new music 'Before The World Caves In'
Based out of Santa Cruz in California (USA), Good Riddance are no strangers to the melodic punk scene, and over the decades, they have more than left their mark. The band formed in 1986, but released their first record in the early 90s. They have become highly influential over the years, and they are a band that successfully manages to mix skate-core with social political lyrics, and this album is certainly no exception. If anything, they have stepped up on their political themes, and who can blame them in today’s political climate?
‘Before The World Caves In‘ is the band’s 10th studio album, and the first one in 7 years, since their ‘Thoughts And Prayers‘ long player in 2019. This latest release out on 27th March on Fat Wreck Chords actually coincided with the No Kings marches that went on throughout the States, in protest against the current Trump administration. “A nationwide day of peaceful protest in support of our country’s most vulnerable communities” as the band rightfully put it.
Good Riddance are :
Russ Rankin – vocals
Luke Pabich – guitar
Chuck Platt – bass guitar
Sean Sellers – drums
The album kicks off with the lead-off single, by the name of ‘There’s Still Tonight‘. This song owns a mean riff, showing that they still have the anger, and the production polish.
‘In Pieces‘ is another single from the album, which more than shows off their melodic chops. It also features a nice breakdown section, where I could imagine the more energetic people in the room forming a circle pit.
‘Poverty Of Language‘ is a fast hardcore number, with a crunchy bass sound and a guitar riff with attitude. ‘No More System To Believe In‘ has a melodic guitar line that makes the song sound much happier than the subject matter would at first imply. It’s a toe-tapping tune with a tight chugging guitar riff that could almost be termed the Fat Wreck Chords signature sound. This song is a song of hope, I do believe, so maybe its upbeat tune is not so out of place after all. ‘All Just Rain‘ is another enjoyable, short number, where we are encouraged to “Turn your faces to the sun” in the face of bleakness. A positive message, that we could all benefit from.
‘To Suffer Is The Name‘ is a mid-tempo singalong affair, that I would also associate with the Fat Wreck Chords sound. One of my highlights of the album is ‘Green Fields‘, which gives off Bad Religion vibes in its melody and rhythm. The song begins with a sample, urging us to invest more in what we stand for, rather than what we may look like. We are told there is “No more sustenance in these green fields” and, rather worryingly, “We’re all gonna burn until we die.”
‘Posse Comitatus‘ has a slower metallic intro that almost reminds me of melodic crust-punk legends Tragedy for a brief moment. Good Riddance worries that we’ve become “divided and distant.” They also say that “We cannot stand by, as the blood stains the sky. We must not be satisfied.” Meanwhile, the next song, ‘Devoid Of Faith‘, delivers the “Whoah” quota in the pop-punk harmonies department.
‘Drive Faster‘, for me, is an obvious choice for a single. It is a catchy and melodic tune which reflects on our own beliefs and values, and how they may have become diluted over the years. It’s a song about disillusionment maybe, and it reminds me of the sentiment portrayed on Propagandhi’s most recent ‘At Peace‘ album. “Drive faster. Breathe deeper.”
‘Thoughts Words Scars‘ is an impressive and lively song about “discord and heresy”, all wrapped up in a tidy package of well played hardcore punk rock. Intelligent lyrics and top musicianship are on display here. The penultimate song on this record is a short one called ‘No Imperfect Way‘, which reminds us that “time is running through our fingers”. ‘What Kind Of Day Has It Been‘ brings this entertaining album to a close. The opening bar-room sample proclaims, “Fuck the world!” before the band rip through a fast and furious hardcore song. (“The blood is on your hands. You don’t understand.”).
Good Riddance have produced a quality album after a reasonably long wait, and their fans won’t be disappointed. Tunes with substance is what we have here. It’s nice to see a band having fun, but also one who are not afraid to cover the bigger and important issues of the day.
Catch the band on tour in Europe (Jul/Aug dates on the poster above) and in North America:
Apr 10 – The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
Apr 11 – Ventura Music Hall, Ventura, CA
Apr 12 – Flyaway, Pomona, CA
Apr 13 – The Holding Company, San Diego, CA
Apr 15 – Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music, Berkeley, CA
May 31 – Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
Jun 1 – Kelowna Events Center, Kelowna, Canada
Jun 2 – Northern, Fernie, Canada
Jun 3 – Modern Love, Calgary, Canada
Jun 4 – The Buckingham, Edmonton, Canada
Jun 6 – Rock The Rails, Fort McMurray, Canada
Jul 18 – Fourth Corner Punk Festival, Bellingham, WA
Hurry up and buy the album HERE ‘Before The World Caves In‘!
- There’s Still Tonight
- In Pieces
- Poverty Of Language
- No More System To Believe In
- All Just Rain
- To Suffer Is The Name
- Green Fields
- Posse Comitatus
- Devoid Of Faith
- Drive Faster
- Thoughts Words Scars
- No Imperfect Way
- What Kind Of Day Has It Been
Follow Good Riddance on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Live review: Top Dogs hit the The Underworld!
Friday 3rd April saw Jolly Roger and I catch UK punk rock’s rising stars Split Dogs, on their ‘Boogie Till You Puke’ tour at The
Shooting Daggers, London Blue Monk, 4th April 2026
Ah, Shooting Daggers, what can we say about you that we haven’t said before? As ever, Sal and co play a tight, vitriolic set that
EP review: Cash Bribe – ‘White Wedding’
As a genre, hardcore generally isn’t known for its sense of humour, so it’s always refreshing to discover a hardcore band that likes to let
Grade 2, London Islington Academy 2, 3rd April 2026
If you’re new to Grade 2, you’ve picked a great time to say hello; the Isle Of Wight trio have just today released their best
Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets ‘Live At The BBC’ RSD 10” release – plus exclusive London listening party!
To coincide with two sold-out shows at London’s iconic 100 Club, Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group, original Nuggets compiler), alongside Joe De Lorenzo (former The
Album review: Poison Ruïn – ‘Hymns From The Hills’
The Philadelphia quartet specialise in a highly compelling blend of punk and hardcore, steeped in medieval imagery and gloomy atmospherics, with echoes of the likes
I have been writing reviews for Brighton & Hove News, and more recently Vive Le Rock magazine for a few years now. Previously, I could be spotted playing drums for many a band over the decades. A noisy habit developed whilst wearing short trousers at school, and one that has had me touring around the UK and Europe. Punk rock is my life, but I am also quite eclectic. I am an avid gig go-er and music devourer, and can feel out of sorts if a gig date is not on the horizon. I have also been known to put gigs on myself in order to fill those gaps.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
