End of Hope Premiere “Seed Indecision”; Pushback is Strong Out March 14
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on January 19th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
New York’s End of Hope release their sophomore full-length, Pushback is Strong, on March 14. And, uh, it’s kind of a burner. I recognize hardcore punk might not be everyone’s thing, but as the four-piece with members of Netherlands, Eternal Black, Reign of Zaius, Clothesline and Kraut make clear from the very first hook of opener and longest track (immediate points) “Behavioral Modification,” there’s as much Melvins in what they do — at least at times — as early Agnostic Front or whatever other original-era NYHC outfit you want to namedrop. So you might break an arm at the show, but it’d probably be because you slipped and fell. You really should be more careful. Also you could get hit by a bus crossing the street. Do I need to go on?
The 11-song outing sprints through 29 minutes and is the follow-up to 2019’s Cease and Destroy (discussed here), with “Fastball” and the title-track picking up from “Behavioral Modification” with a genuinely down-to-business mentality. Vocalist Davey Gunner leads the charge with some tongue-in-cheek awareness in the more swinging “Nobody Cares About Your Band” and the later “Freedom Denied” — which, though I haven’t seen a lyric sheet, I think might be about leaving action figures in their original packaging? — while raw punk numbers like “Nothing to See Here” and the minute-long “The Iron,” which starts with a sample of James Cagney from White Heat saying he’s on top of the world, speed by and leave it to the listener to try and keep up, bruises and all.
“Curtain Call” follows “Fill the Void,” and both of those as well as the penultimate “Cover Your Eyes” a short time later find a place for themselves between sludge rock and gang-shout hardcore, which seems to be where End of Hope are heading or, if you don’t
want to predict the future, is where this material leans toward. Fair enough. Guitarist Ken Wohlrob, bassist Davis Schlachter and drummer Dave Richman have all played in ‘heavier’ bands (listed above, also below), so that some of that influence would sneak in even as they pointedly direct themselves elsewhere — you might say they’re pushing back on it — isn’t necessarily shocking, and while my head immediately goes to Animosity-era C.O.C. when I hear the elbow-chucking riff of “Freedom Denied,” slower but still duly aggro, I’ll allow that’s probably more my own ignorance of the style than actual sonic likeness.
Following “Cover Your Eyes,” on which Richman hits the snare like he wants it to stay hit — I know that doesn’t make sense but it’s still true — and End of Hope work their way into a lurching groove at the end, the closer “Seed Indecision” caps with more angles to its twisting riff and a layered vocal that completes a vibe that feels complementary to “Behavioral Modification” back at the outset. One of just three inclusions over three minutes long (though it doesn’t actually use all of its 3:12), it evens out to a more straight-ahead push before Gunner‘s last held-out line is stretched across what in context here feels like a long fade.
Though one is tempted, as you might be able to tell, to liken its more hardcore-derived aspects to physicality, violence, the proverbial kick in the pants, etc., the truth is Pushback is Strong fluidly brings together its most intense and less-throttled moments. With a clear production sound, End of Hope give no ground in terms of live energy, and their no-bullshit attitude is suitable to their own songs as well as the style in which they reside. I was never cool enough for hardcore, never had enough friends for songs about how they’re like family to really make sense, but it’s not hard to appreciate the niche End of Hope are finding for themselves, and wherever they end up, the going is a good time.
“Seed Indecision” premieres on the player below, followed by more info courtesy of the band.
Enjoy:
End of Hope on “Seed Indecision”:
“‘Seed Indecision’ was destined to be the final summary statement for Pushback is Strong. It is a perfect encapsulation of our goals for this new album: wanting to shove as hard as we can against the boundaries of what can be considered heavy rock or hardcore punk, finding our own ground somewhere outside the genres. Like all the songs on the new album, the dynamics are amped. We’re trying to keep the listener on their toes and give them something they’ve never heard before. We want it to be anthemic. We want it to pack a wallop. We want you, the person hearing it, to say, “Fuck! What was that?” and hit the play button again and again. We hope you dig it and sing along.”
End of Hope — featuring members of Kraut, Netherlands, Clothesline, and Eternal Black — release second album, Pushback Is Strong, on March 14, 2023
End of Hope — comprised of members from several well-known New York City acts including Kraut, Netherlands, Clothesline, and Eternal Black — will release their second album, Pushback Is Strong, on March 14th, 2023. The album will be for sale in both digital and CD formats via their Bandcamp page (endofhope.bandcamp.com) and available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and other services. Pushback Is Strong features eleven songs that push the boundaries of what hardcore punk and heavy rock n’ roll can be — a potent cocktail of high-volume speed rock, heavy riffs, and anthemic punk rock choruses.
The band consists of Davey Gunner of New York Hardcore legends Kraut on vocals, Dave Richman of Netherlands, Witch Taint, and St. Bastard on drums, Davis Schlachter of Brooklyn’s heavy blues purveyors Clothesline on bass, and Ken Wohlrob of Brooklyn doom heavyweights Eternal Black on guitar. End of Hope formed in 2018 and released a two-song EP, titled D E M O, in March of that year. They followed that with their debut full-length album, Cease & Destroy, in November 2019.
According to the band, “Our goal for this second album was to push everything out to the furthest extreme,” adding, “We wanted a much more dynamic and diverse album that would keep surprising the listener. The punk songs are more hardcore, the sludgy songs are even heavier, and from track to track to track, there is no letup. We wanted the listener to feel pummeled from the first guitar riff to the final scream.”
Pushback Is Strong was recorded at Suburban Elvis Studios in New York with production, mixing, and mastering duties being handled by Joe Kelly and Kol Marshall (Ministry, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Eternal Black, Begotten), the same production team that created the thick wall of sound for Cease & Destroy.
Pushback is Strong track listing:
1. Behavioral Modification
2. Fastball
3. Pushback is Strong
4. Nobody Cares About Your Band
5. Nothing to See Here
6. The Iron
7. Fill the Void
8. Curtain Call
9. Freedom Denied
10. Cover Your Eyes
11. Seed Indecision
Produced, Mixed, and Mastered by Joe Kelly & Kol Marshall
Recorded at Suburban Elvis Studios, Fall 2021 / Spring 2022
All Songs by End of Hope
Arc of Movement Records
End of Hope:
Davey Gunner: vocals
Ken Wohlrob: guitar
Davis Schlachter: bass
Dave Richman: drums
