The North Carolina hardcore crew’s second EP finally sees the light of day!
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate nearly 40 years of a record that was never actually released in the first place. Long-disbanded North Carolina hardcore punks Subculture unleashed a beast of a debut in 1985’s ‘I Heard A Scream’, but this follow-up was shelved after the band broke up the following year. Apparently, rough mixes of the tracks on ‘Fred‘ circulated among tape traders, but now the record has been remixed and mastered for an official release – and it does not disappoint.
Touring with bands as diverse as Fear, The Vandals, NOFX and DRI, plus a few tips from their hometown heroes Corrosion Of Conformity, meant that although Subculture came from a hardcore punk background, they weren’t afraid to throw the odd metallic twist into the mix. Opening track ‘Willpower’ boasts some great guitar shredding and chugging riffs, before bursting into a 100mph hardcore rage; a trick that they repeat to thrilling effect throughout ‘Fred’.
At only 13 minutes long, this record doesn’t outstay its welcome, and why pad things out unnecessarily when the likes of ‘Victimized’ and ‘Bad Desperation’ are such an assault on the senses? Meanwhile, final track ‘KC’s Coming To Town’, with its nursery rhyme-esque intro, shows that for all the musical aggression on display here, Subculture weren’t without a sense of humour. No wonder they made such great tour buddies for NOFX in the late 80s.
Oh, and that title? Well, sadly, guitarist Fred Hutchinson passed away in 2023, and this record is a tribute to him. Suffice to say that he’d be thrilled to hear that his former bandmates have done his (and Subculture’s) legacy proud, and that the nearly four-decade wait was undeniably worth it.
‘Fred’ is released on black vinyl and limited edition green vinyl on January 24th via Sorry State Records – order it HERE.
- Willpower
- Young Frankenstein
- Victimised
- Triangle
- Bad Desperation
- KC’s Coming To Town
Follow Subculture on Their Socials
Need more Punk In Your Life?
New book and LP on early Dutch punk celebrated at the Paradiso, Amsterdam
On 31st August 2025, Paradiso held a punk festival in its big hall. Journalist and DJ Oscar Smit launched a new expanded version of the
Shake Some Acton gig #112, London Hope & Anchor, 9th Sep 2025
Teo Wise and his band have come all the way from Italy, and from the start, it’s clear that they’re having a ball, with the
Interview: Alex gets to know UK punk trio Everyone Lies
Miss the glory days of Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords-style skate punk? It’s safe to say that Southampton trio Everyone Lies do too, as they’re
EP review: Club Brat – ‘4 Songs’
Sure, there are elements of great bands like Fugazi, Refused, At The Drive-In and Les Savy Fav, but Club Brat have taken those influences and
Live review: WitchDoktors, Kingston Fighting Cocks, 5th Sep 2025
Of all the many great punk and rock n’ roll bands that Witchdoktors recall, Rocket From The Crypt are forefront in our minds tonight; not
Shake Some Acton gig #111, London Hope & Anchor, 2nd Sep 2025
Not only do the French quartet turn in a belter of an 18-song set, sounding like a bunch of garage-punks who’ve broken into Devo’s practice
I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
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!
