Wednesday 20 August 2014

Heroin


Heroin were a four-piece hardcore/screamo band from San Diego, California during 1989-1993. Here's a band that predicted "The Shape of Punk To Come" years before that phrase even came into existence. Heroin kind of bridged the gap between the melodic punk sound coming out of DC/Maryland in the late 80's (Rites Of Spring, Embrace, Dag Nasty, Moss Icon, etc.) and the post-hardcore/screamo bands that would dominate the California/San Diego scene in the 90's (Antioch Arrow, Portraits Of Past, Angel Hair, Indian Summer, etc.) Heroin take the basic "emotional hardcore" essentials (the fast pace, personal lyricism, intense music) and push the levels on those in a darker direction to pave the way for what bands after would do. They were vicious, cathartic, and broke down what might have been melodic songs initially into all-out emotional torture fests. From the first few seconds of "Head Cold", they pulsate with a ferocity that's been caged up too long.

When I first heard them, I thought they were around in the later 90's, because the year their discography album was released was 1997. Even for that era this was exceptional stuff, but when I found out these recordings were from 1991, and 1993 at the latest, I was blown away. They are incredibly underrated, and even Geoff Rickly, the figurehead of post-hardcore for the last 10 years, cites them as a major influence. They were the first band to put out a 7" on Gravity Records, which is another sign of what that label and that sound would carry on to do. Their members also went on to other major projects, such as Antioch Arrow and Battalion Of Saints. Heroin's first 7" was called All About Heroin, and it came out in 1991. They put out another 7" in 1992, which was self-titled, and a 12" in 1993, which was also self-titled. Posthumously, a discography album was released in 1997, which compiled all their material. That is what's posted below, and I definitely suggest giving this a listen, since it is a staple classic in post-hardcore/screamo. Enjoy.

1. Head Cold
2. Undertaking
3. Indecision
4. I've Got Mine
5. This Time
6. Never Ever
7. Has Been
8. Leave
9. Wander
10. Blindly
11. With No Name
12. Meaning Less
13. A Portion
14. The Obvious
15. In General
16. Moving Parts
17. Another
18. Destination
19. [Untitled Track]

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