Pacific Northwest hardcore act PUNITIVE DAMAGE is back with Hate Training, a six-track EP out today via Convulse Records, bringing a compact but fierce follow-up to their 2022 debut This Is The Blackout.
Produced by Jesse Gander (whoโs worked with JAPANDROIDS, BRUTUS, and SUBHUMANS) and mixed by Taylor Young (DRAIN, MILITARIE GUN, GOD’S HATE), the EP cranks up the intensity of their sound, led by vocalist Jerkova and backed by guitarists Czecho and Teejer1, drummer Alejandro, and bassist Kermit.
Jerkova calls the release an expression of resistance against recurring cycles of propaganda and dehumanization, noting, โTime after timeโฆwe fall for the hate training served to us.โ
From historic atrocities to modern conflicts, her lyrics challenge the narratives fed by empires, where populations are manipulated into viewing others as โsubhuman boogymen.โ
The EPโs title track opens with a concise, explosive burst, channeling themes of selective compassion and everyday gaslighting. Jerkovaโs repeated refrain, โDeny, deny, obliterate,โ drives home her criticism of societyโs inclination to overlook reality in favor of sanitized, politically convenient narratives. โPeople in my life try to convince me to reject objective truth,โ she says, confronting this with unapologetic force.
Tracks like โPlaster Saintsโ pull no punches either, packing a visceral critique of historical and current oppressions into 34 seconds of brutal, unrelenting music. Guitarist Czechoโs background as the child of a WWII refugee lends depth to these reflections, recalling how his father fled violence and occupation only to carry the impact throughout his life.
This personal history, combined with the bandโs larger anti-oppression message, frames the EPโs lyrical intensity.
โAll or Nothingโ features guest vocals from Jess Nyx (MORTALITY RATE, WORLD OF PLEASURE), offering another perspective in its indictment of selective compassion and societal callousness. Jerkova lays down a stark message: โSelective compassion, right to live at your discretion, humanity upon request.โ
For her, itโs a demand for unconditional empathy, a rejection of half-hearted solidarity. โItโs my criticism of the duplicitousness of humanity,โ she explains, underscoring her commitment to raising awareness for issues like Palestinian sovereignty.
The EP, available now on streaming platforms and for order through Convulse Records.
Upcoming Shows:
10/25 Chattanooga, TN @ Dragons Roast
10/27 Gainesville, FL @ THE FEST
10/28 Birmingham, AL @ Firehouse
10/29 New Orleans, LA @ Holy Diver
10/30 Hattiesburg, MS @ TBA
10/31 Dallas, TX @ Cheapsteaks
11/15 Tulsa, OK @ Flyover Fest Pre-show
