Here is my very limited scope of the wide casting net that is Chicago Hardcore. I apologize in advance if I didn’t include your favorite band. Hopefully, though, any of these three bands whets your appetite for heavy music, or at the very least, helps you feel sane on days where the city of Chicago drives you near the edge of insanity.
C.H.E.W.
With a pitter patter of a drum roll, C.H.E.W. rolls out its distinctive style of hardcore on Feeding Frenzy. Buzzwords like “punishing” and “unrelenting” do a disservice to the instantaneous emotions conjured for the listener. For 30 well-considered minutes, you twist and twirl through C.H.E.W.’s demented soundscape. Ben Rudolph’s guitar is in constant movement, driving the songs in an unknowable direction. Singer Doris Jeane’s vocals are spittle filled, driven by a palpable anger against everyone within reach.
Rash
Angry and snotty hardcore incarnate, Rash is in constant movement in their records and on stage. They inhabit whatever space you decide to put them in, whether it be a basement or a venue. Singer Eric Frankel paces back and forth vigorously as he yelps words into his microphone. Each musician takes their starting position and is locked in for a quick 15 minutes of performance. Guitar and bass both face their amps. The drummer, frantically moves around in his own little confined space.
Snuffed
Your first release as a band can be tough line to toe. You want people to get a sense of your band, but you don’t want to create unrealistic expectations. Snuffed, in their debut release Mind’s Eye, pretty succinctly presents you with their form of hardcore. The recording is dirty and grimy in the best way possible. Lead singer Carly’s vocals are able to sit front and center of each and every song. With only twelve minutes of music, Snuffed shows off their distinct brand of “democore”.
See the playlist below for select tracks by Snuffed, C.H.E.W., and Rash, alongside a sampling of the songs listed in the Punk Survey series.