Kentucky hardcore punk mainstay COLISEUM has announced a 20th-anniversary reissue of their self-titled debut album, fully remixed and remastered, slated for release on November 21 via Equal Vision Records.
This revamped edition revisits the 2004 original, which had its share of limitations—most notably a buried drum track that undersold the band’s intensity. The updated mix highlights the contributions of original drummer Matt Jaha, frontman Ryan Patterson’s cousin, who passed away in 2020.
Initially captured by Sebadoh’s Jason Loewenstein in an unpolished, DIY setup, the debut was recorded live on ½” 8-track tape in a Louisville garage where Patterson and friends practiced.
Patterson remembers, “We wanted a raw and immediate hardcore punk record, and that’s what we got.” Loewenstein captured the drums with four mics, vocal tracks were laid down in a bathroom, and amps were tucked away in upstairs rooms. This raw production embodied the intensity of Louisville’s underground music scene at the time. Now, with the band reuniting after a nine-year break, Patterson notes that this reissue is especially meaningful.
The album’s re-release is accompanied by the single “Children of Our Own Creation,” now streaming, which revisits their early gritty hardcore energy.
COLISEUM’s legacy stems from their relentless presence in the hardcore scene, with almost 1,000 shows and five albums since their formation in 2003.
Following a hiatus beginning in 2015, each band member pursued different projects: Patterson formed post-punk act FOTOCRIME, Kayhan Vaziri joined grind metal outfit YAUTJA, and Carter Wilson began fronting slowcore band NULL. But the members’ continued friendship eventually drew them back to create new music, revisiting the raw hardcore punk sound of their early days.
In 2023, COLISEUM, now also releasing music as C.L.S.M., dropped Infinity Shit on Equal Vision, an album distinct from COLISEUM’s previous work in its unapologetically fast and ferocious hardcore punk. With ten blistering tracks, Infinity Shit tackles themes of societal chaos and division, built on driving tempos and relentless riffs, providing an unfiltered reflection of today’s social climate.
Alongside the reissue, COLISEUM has confirmed several headline dates across Europe and the UK in November and December:
November 28 – Ghent, Belgium – Asgaard
November 29 – Vienna, Austria – Arena
November 30 – Prague, Czech Republic – Punctum
December 1 – Oslo, Norway – Goldie
December 2 – Stockholm, Sweden – Hus 7
December 3 – London, United Kingdom – New Cross Inn
Track Listing for Coliseum (20th Anniversary Edition):
- Detached (Remixed & Remastered)
- Children of Our Own Creation (Remixed & Remastered)
- Hostage of Privilege (Remixed & Remastered)
- Burn Out Bright (Remixed & Remastered)
- F.F.P. (Remixed & Remastered)
- In Time (Remixed & Remastered)
- This Mind Locked Inside This Body (Remixed & Remastered)
- Mire (Remixed & Remastered)
- Claim Control (Remixed & Remastered)
- Give Up and Drive (Remixed & Remastered)
- Pretty Situation (Remixed & Remastered)
- The Simple Answer Is… (Remixed & Remastered)
