When I think of the hardcore scene, I think of the East Coast. Bands like Bad Brains, Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, Gorilla Biscuits, Murphy’s Law, and Madball come first. But then there’s the West Coast with Suicidal Tendencies, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, and, of course, Black Flag. Sure, location isn’t really important to hardcore punk, especially in this day and age, but I never would’ve correlated hardcore with Indiana. Not in a million years. Until I learned about Pat and The Pissers, specifically their latest release, America’s Dream/Soil.
In a typical review, this is where I’d talk about the band.
I’d give them a proper introduction. You would read the important details about the band’s history. That sort of thing. But like the bands I learned about as a teenager from skateboard stickers, I haven’t the slightest clue who Pat and The Pissers are.
I know they’re from Indiana and gaining attention in the Indianapolis punk scene, but that’s really about it. To be honest, I wasn’t even aware Indianapolis had a legitimate punk scene, much less one capable of housing a rowdy bunch like this! Sure, I could’ve done a quick Google search to find more info or even reached out to the band themselves. But wouldn’t that kind of diminish the excitement of being in 2023 and hearing a punk band for the first time?
Thanks to Romanus Records, the label putting out America’s Dream/Soil, I did learn it’s actually made up of two of the band’s releases. That might clue you in on just how dedicated Pat and The Pissers are to old-school hardcore: an entire album is short enough to fit on each of the vinyl release. Then again, there aren’t many plot twists between the two sides. The former is a bit more stylistically diverse, but the latter is more focused. Yet, both sides feature all the vitriolic discord you love about hardcore.
Pat and The Pissers are deliciously ugly.
The band is snotty, aggressive, and beaming with unabashed attitude. Despite not being overtly political, the urgency in the music makes even boredom or annoyance feel larger than life. That’s not to say the topics discussed between sides are mundane. There are plenty of ranting lyrics about society, disillusionment, and urban decay, but it’s all done under the guise of no-nonsense punk. America’s Dream is probably the more ambitious of the two with a greater emphasis on poise. Alternately, Soil dips its gangrene-laden toes in darker territories with sludgier tracks later in the track listing.
Speaking of ugliness, the aforementioned Romanus Records released the project on vinyl in various colors and splatters. However, one extremely limited version is filled with actual maggots! While the label is no stranger to wild variants (including a Fall Out Boy release filled with the band’s actual tears), this one feels especially fitting.
Pat and The Pissers want to gross you out.
Be it with records filled with mealworms or their unflinching opinion on the world we live in, the band wants to make you as uncomfortable as possible. It helped that I was introduced to them the old-fashioned way, without the burden of expectations created by internet hype. And even though this review gives you more info than I had on my first few listens, I hope you appreciate my recommendation. Hardcore is alive and well in 2023, and America’s Dream/Soil just might be one of my favorite releases of the year.
America’s Dream/Soil is available at Romanus Records.