Formed with members of The Wonder Years and Mannequin Pussy, for fans of Jesus Piece and Slipknot, Philly’s Skullpresser dropped the lead single “Positions of Power” yesterday, promoting their new EP set to debut September 6.
Beginning in 2022 and with a demo EP released the next year, Jared Birdeye (vocals), Colins ‘Bear’ Regisford (bass), Michael Kennedy (drums), Sam Tropio (guitar), and Dan Zimmerman (guitar) write fast, heavy, and violent songs about human struggle under the oppression of so-called “leaders.”
Their new release, Positions of Power, to be released via Born Losers Records, pushes that sound further and the result is undoubtedly explicit and definitive. The lead single, which shares the same name as the expected EP, is out now on all platforms as a preview for the unapologetically brutal tracks that follow.
The single uses an aggressive and blatantly direct approach to address the bands’ views on the farce of the two-party political system in the U.S. Written for fans actively keeping the hardcore ethos alive, it’s a mercilessly heavy way of acknowledging that both sides are in it for themselves. The tactics both our leaders and the media use, intentionally create division and chaos among the people.
Skullpresser’s message is clear. We are all at risk. Oppression is all too common. Division is a tool. This single, as part of a greater EP devoted to rebuking our so-called leaders for the oppression they ensue, is fast, heavy, as punishing as it is relenting, and entirely worth your listen. Seemingly, both the EP and single aim to reignite hardcore’s socially and politically insurrectionary flame. It comes as no surprise that the combination of no-holds-barred style lyricism, with downright gnarly composition and vocals, makes for an uncompromising and vicious release. Stream the shared single and stay tuned for the full EP.
Photo Cred Brad Wyllner
For more on Skullpresser, checkout their Spotify and Bandcamp accounts.
