Almost three years after our cool feature about their LP “Leopards”, Manchester, UK based melodic hardcore masters FAIR DO’s return with a heavy new single called “Casket“. The new tune marks the first taste of their matured, heavier sound, which incorporates more jagged elements of metal into their signature technical style. This is their first release since the success of their debut album Leopards, landed via Lockjaw Records in 2018.
Casket tackles the theme of late-stage capitalism, decrying that the things we love are covered in blood. In the words of bass player and lyricist, Josh Sumner, “We all want that lovely car or that new phone, but as we consume more and want more, death and the destruction of our civilisation approaches. Our casket moves closer to us.” The band have always been heavily politically influenced; they were described in the past as ‘a latter-day Propagandhi with a Manchester accent’.
Casket is out now via Thousand Islands Records (North America) and Lockjaw Records (UK/Europe).
Fair Do’s are a powerhouse of technical melodic hardcore, who combine hardcore punk and metal in a way that few other bands dare. Fair Do’s spent their formative years hammering their distinctive fast-punk style home, however they’ve also invested considerable time honing their metal chops, evident in their heavier rhythms, riffs and plentiful beat-downs.
Formed in 2008, Fair Do’s have established a following of dedicated fans around Europe, playing with legends like Lagwagon, A Wilhelm Scream, Frenzal Rhomb and H20. Having grown up in small working-class towns around Manchester, they have an underdog mentality that resonates in their lyrics, which are both politically-focussed and firmly tongue-in-cheek.
Although they are driven by a strong DIY punk ethos, Fair Do’s are best known for their technical talent. Every song is heart-racingly uptempo and overlaid with jaw-droppingly intricate guitars. They released their debut album Leopards on Lockjaw Records in 2018 – an adrenaline-soaked collision of hardcore punk and metal, that captures the energy and technical prowess of their explosive live show. Their earliest release Trying Times was released on Pumpkin Records in 2014, and remains a firm favourite of skate-punk fans.
Fair Do’s’ will be releasing a string of singles to tease fans in 2021, demonstrating the development of their sound into a heavier, richer mix. Dipping their toe into heavier and darker waters, Casket is the introduction to the mature Fair Do’s sound. It is every bit as technical as their fans would expect, but with a hardened edge brought about by the political battering the left wing has seen since their last release in 2018.
