Lev from Scottish hardcore band KINGPIN guested with their hard-hitting jams on IDIOTEQ almost 10 years ago, and today we’re pleased to give you his still relevantly new project called, fast thrash hardcore crew HARD STARE. A little over a year since the premiere of their debut EP, the band is back with their new EP this week, and today we’re stoked to give you an early listen of one of the new songs, a wild banger called “You Decide… But Why?”!
Hard Stare are a 4-piece crossover band from various parts of Scotland. Over the past few years, the term “crossover” has come to be shorthand for “sounds like Power Trip“, but with all the respect in the world for Power Trip – an amazing band that Hard Stare vocalist Lev had the privilege of sharing the stage with multiple times and got to know well through his other band, Kingpin – Hard Stare’s crossover does not aim to just lazily rip them off.
Hard Stare’s crossover goes back to the drawing board, taking all of the members’ individual passions for thrash metal and hardcore punk and fusing together choice elements of each – along with whatever other influences they feel like throwing in from anywhere else – to create music with its own unique identity not bound by trying too hard to sound like any one particular thing.
The band’s new EP, “Hard Stare II”, is a blistering 5 minutes or so of aggression and will be released via the usual streaming channels on Friday 16th December 2022 (physical release details TBC). “Hard Stare II” is the follow up the debut EP, “Hard Stare”, which was released for streaming and on cassette tape via Nuclear Family Records in August 2021.
With its title an intentional reference to the lyrics of “You Suffer” by Napalm Death, the new track “You Decide… But Why?” features lyrics written by Lev directly after spending several hours arguing with a religious group who were attempting to protest against women’s reproductive rights on the streets of Glasgow.
Comments the band: “This situation came right after the news broke that the historic Roe v Wade decision was to be overturned – and with it, take away the ease of access to abortions and remove other basic human rights for many women – in the US, and serves as a reminder that the silly decisions that occur in other countries can result in morons all over the world feeling empowered to broadcast their nonsense and publicly attempt to force their will on all of us.”
The lyrics of the new song tackle these religious nuts head on and questions their right to attempt to use their personal beliefs and fairy stories as a way to push against science and common decency for everyone.
The drums and gang vocals for “Hard Stare II” were recorded at Transmission Room Studios in Clydebank, with all other instruments (guitars, bass and vocals) as well as mixing and mastering done by the band members themselves in various bedrooms and kitchens. The cover art was also painted at home by Hard Stare’s bassist, Billy.
Hard Stare’s first show of 2023 will be on January 23rd alongside friends Cryptic Shift and Inhuman Nature at the Garage Attic in Glasgow, tickets for which will be available HERE.
Hard Stare is: Lev – vocals, Billy – bass, George – drums, Liam – guitars.
Follow the band via Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Instagram, and Facebook.
