hardcore punk

Now a staple in Australian hardcore, 50 Lions first bared their claws in 2005 at the height of the metalcore craze in their native Byron Bay. Focussing on producing a more traditional hardcore sound, the key to the survival of the band would be some serious van hours. Building on a sturdy reputation as a fierce live presence, they earned their place on bills with Byron counterparts Parkway Drive and other notable Australian bands such as Carpathian, Miles Away and Her Nightmare, before stepping up to share stages with internationals such as Terror, Madball, Down To Nothing and Blacklisted.

Clusterfuck formed in late 2003 in Bridgeport, CT. Since then, some of the members have moved, so now they have two members in Arizona, one in Virginia, and one in Connecticut. They still tour and play shows when possible though, and they're still recording. They have three releases: Midlife Crisis 7", This is for Ruining My Life...split 7" with Rat Byte, and How the West Was Won LP (limited to 300 on white vinyl).

1) Vancouver's D.O.A. were an early and extremely influential punk rock band. Formed in 1978, they quickly got down to business by releasing the Disco Sucks EP on singer/guitarist Joey Shithead's own Sudden Death label. Along with other early pioneers, they blazed the trail to a North American punk scene by putting out records and touring with virtually no existing 'scene' infrastructure to rely on. Early shows included clashes with audience members and police, and they can attest that police riots at punk shows were not strictly an LA occurrence.

Strike Anywhere is a melodic hardcore/punk band from Richmond, Virginia. They formed in 1999 after the demise of frontman Thomas Barnett's previous band, Inquisition. Their music is characterized by fast tempos, catchy melodies, and socially conscious lyrics. They have released 4 full-length albums and are currently signed to Bridge Nine Records. Strike Anywhere is a political band, with lyrics touching on such issues as police brutality, anarchism, anti-capitalism, women's rights, animal rights, and globalization.