Every now and again you come across a hardcore band who break the mould just enough to have widespread appeal and never sound stale or regurgitated. South Carolinian hardcore kids Discourse are one of those superior few. Blending bouncing, discordant riffs and angst vocals with some classic HC styling, this quintet is ready to chisel their name amongst the top rungs of heavy music. With a demo already to their name, Discourse felt it was about time to deliver fan’s another ruthless offering. With help from Closed Casket Activities and the Bricktop Recording Studio, this ten track burner will turn heads and break bones.

From the offset it’s clear that Discourse are about as subtle as a sub-machine gun. Bathed in the essence of old-school metallic hardcore, album openers ‘Cure’ and ‘Time Pries’ feature some hefty riffs, riddled to the core with unbridled, metal groove. ‘Losing Game’ knocks out yet more fertile rhythms and sporadic intervals, casting any doubts aside, these guys are more than your run-of-the-mill garage band. ‘Maintained By Force’ shows Sanity Decays’ subtle balance between metallic immensity and melodic ache, with the vocals finding a tone similar to Defeater’s Derek Archambault. ‘Failed Automation’ is a highlight, hurling forwards with piercing guitar stabs and feral vocals, before tumbling into a demonic bass solo and rounding off with a sludgy outro, submerged in Code Orange like menace. ‘Another Wave’ and ‘Nothing Fills the Void’ make a welcome return. The re-recordings giving fans a refreshing reincarnation before the album signs off with the erratic riffs and mesmeric outro of ‘Oblivion’.

If you’re looking for thick groove, cataclysmic riffs and menacing vibes, then cease trailing through Soundcloud, Bandcamp and Spotify looking for that next favourite band. They’re right here. Discourse have pieced together thirty odd minutes of pure-bred hardcore punk hate, constructing a host of instinctual riffs, malicious vocal lines and a vast helping of hazardous breakdowns. Give Sanity Decays a spin, your head will bang until it falls off.

Track list – Sanity Decays

1. Cure
2. Time Pries
3. Losing Game
4. Maintained By Force
5. Failed Automation
6. Bars Surround
7. Another Wave
8. Nothing Fills The Void
9. Early Grave
10. Oblivion

Discourse: Facebook / Bandcamp / Order Sanity Decays

Written by Alfie Nobes