FASTBREAK is back in a big way with the long-awaited re-release of Fast Cars, Fast Women.
Originally out in 1998, this record had dropped out of circulation for years, leaving a glaring gap in the story of late-90s hardcore. Now Iodine Recordings has revived it, and there’s an exclusive Bridge Nine Records variant limited to 200 copies, set to ship on or around March 28, 2025.
Formed in Connecticut in 1994, FASTBREAK cut their teeth in the New England scene, playing with H2O, BANE, TEN YARD FIGHT, and RIGHT BRIGADE.
They carried the torch of the Youth Crew style championed by GORILLA BISCUITS and YOUTH OF TODAY, combining a fast-paced drive with an unshakable sense of positivity. In a decade when many bands leaned darker, FASTBREAK stood out with a more inviting energy.
Fast Cars, Fast Women shows why they mattered.
“Said and Done” and “Places Trades” burst with a carefree spirit that kept the band’s sets lively and the pit moving. The record also offered a look into a future fusion of hardcore and pop-punk, an approach that took hold in the early 2000s. Songs still feel immediate, balancing raw riffs with a sense of fun that refused to let gloom dominate.
FASTBREAK’s lineup featured Patrick Rorick on vocals, Steven Pica and Neal St. Clair on guitar, Don Raymond on bass, and Luke Garro on drums. Produced by Dean Baltulonis and mastered at Metropolis Studios, the album comes with liner notes by Chris Wrenn (Bridge Nine Records) and Rama Mayo (BWR), providing context on why this release carries real weight.
Thanks to Iodine Recordings, the original tracks are finally back in circulation, sounding as vibrant as they did when the band first blasted through Connecticut clubs.
Snagging the Bridge Nine variant is the best way to grab a piece of that era’s energy, limited to 200 copies. Pre-orders are up now—no reason to wait. It’s a piece of hardcore history waiting to be put back on the turntable.
