Hold on to your seats, because SAWD OFF NJ is about to unleash a guttural anthem with their new single “BORN FUCKED UP,” premiering right here. Drawing inspiration from hardcore legends like Slapshot, COA, and Cold as Life, this is music forged in the trenches, designed for those battling their way through the muck and mire of life.
“From WIC checks to government cheese, this is music for the battered, the unwanted, and the tired,” the band shares. “If you’ve ever felt like you’re clawing up a hill and being shit on simultaneously, then this one is for you.”
Set to release on September 22nd, 2023, this anthem is part of an upcoming 3-track EP filled with metallic hardcore, beatdown, and “tough guy” vibes.
Released by Wet Cassettes, the label co-founded by SAWD OFF NJ’s own Nick Hertzberg and Billy Applegate, the album serves as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the genre while indulging the duo’s nostalgic love for bands that pioneered hardcore music.
Hertzberg notes, “It’s more fun at this age to craft the spin-kick-generating tunes instead of dislocating a hip by throwing one ourselves.”
Wet Cassettes began its journey in 2018 as a haven for “Weird Dirty Music for Weird Dirty People,” releasing small cassette batches from improvised noise rock jams with friends.
Now five years and 47 releases strong, the label continues to ignite the underground scene. Even as projects have slowed and life has shifted—Hertzberg is expecting his first child in February 2024—the desire to create remains undeterred.
The policy is simple: “If one of us has an idea for a band, we at least see it through with a proper demo for Wet Cassettes. If something more comes from it, good. If not, we got to craft something we always wanted to do,” says Applegate, citing their screamo album “delightedbytheendofexistence” as an example.
While their musical palette is diverse (expect playlists featuring everyone from Sissy Spacek to Alkaline Trio to Whitney Houston), the aim of SAWD OFF NJ is singular: to stir movement.
Hertzberg took the helm of all instrumentals, focusing on breakdowns and groovy nu-metal riffs, while Applegate provided the gripping vocals, punctuated by guest spots from his wife Amber and lifelong friend Mike D.
The lyrics—often a cocktail of life struggles and pumped-up aggression—leave room for interpretation: is this an earnest venture or a satirical take on the testosterone-charged genre? Applegate muses, “That’s for the listener to decide.”
The album will be available for free digitally and on limited cassette tape via Wet Cassettes. Looking ahead, the duo is open to collaborating and wouldn’t mind some new allies to help bring the sounds of SAWD OFF NJ to a live setting.
Hertzberg and Applegate may not be the regulars they once were in the local hardcore scene, but their love for the underground endures.
Here’s their shout-out to some promising bands in the NJ/PA area that you should absolutely check out:
Savage Mystic
Dark and heavy nihilistic ferocity. Nicky goes hard in the paint.
10 Sluggz.
Great balance of tough as-nails shit and death metal.
Carnivorous Bells
We’ve loved all of Matthew Adis’ projects, but this one is next level. Captain Beefheart black metal? Huh? Some of the most proficient “punk” (or any music really) I’ve seen played live.
