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
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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.
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