It'd be hard to deny that From Within Records' One Scene Unity compilations are the definitive hardcore comps of the 2020s thus far. The Florida-based DIY label has released four editions of their genre-wide series, and we had From Within head honcho Carter Holmes (also of the bands Statement of Pride, Payback, and more) join us for a discussion about all four comps. We talk about the bands and songs that appeared on each edition, and use the comps as a framework to discuss how hardcore has evolved in the 2020s thus far. Check it out.

Peep the From Within Records store: https://www.fromwithinrecords.com/

Intro song: Payback - "The One Scene, Pt. II"

Outro song: Impunity - "4Giveness"

Michael Thorn of Razorblades and Aspirin joins us for a primer on the history of Richmond, VA hardcore. For a mid-size city of its kind, Richmond has had a thriving scene since the birth of hardcore, and we traced its lineage with the help of someone who lives there now, and has had one leg in the scene for decades. From White Cross and Honor Roll in the early 80s and Four Walls Falling and Avail in the 90s, to Municipal Waste and Direct Control in the 2000s and all the many bands rocking in Richmond today, there was so much to discuss — and almost all of the music is great.

Intro song: Four Walls Falling - "Culture Shock"

Outro song: Direct Control - "Cleptomaniac"

Read Razorblades and Aspirin: https://razorbladesandaspirin.com/

It's time to check in on this thing we love.

We're almost halfway through the 2020s, and hardcore is beginning to feel different now than it did at the beginning of the decade. We remark on how the vibes have shifted (for good and bad) since the post-COVID lockdown boom of summer 2021, and think about how 2024 has felt like a strange transitional year for the genre. Not too many essential LPs, a lot of ephemeral micro-trends, and a lot of reverence within hardcore for sounds that aren't hardcore.

Intro song: Praise - "Coming Up for Air"

Outro song: Condition One - "Hard Shift"