Australian hardcore punk bands tend to have local fan bases, although a number have toured Australia and internationally. Prominent bands from the scene that have been recognised by the mainstream have included Toe to Toe, Massappeal and Mindsnare, while many relative newcomers (such as Ill Brigade, Miles Away, Break Even, 50 Lions, Relentless and Iron Mind to name a few examples) have enjoyed some commercial success due to the recent popularity of the genre. Many of these bands are currently very popular and are bringing some mainstream attention to the label "hardcore", Australian hardcore is played on the national Triple J network in the short.fast.loud program [1] and on a number of local stations.[ citation needed ]
Brisbane was at the forefront of the hardcore punk scene in the late 70s with bands emerging such as Young Identities, Public Execution, Razar, Mystery Of Sixes and The Leftovers. Sydney had a strong following of hardcore punk bands in the early 1980s such as Vigil Anti, Massappeal, Hard-Ons and Johnny Dole & The Scabs. Depression and Vicious Circle from Melbourne were two of the most popular hardcore bands in Australia, which formed in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Depression released 3 LP's, 3 singles & 1 EP before disbanding in 1989. Where's the Pope? from Adelaide was another popular hardcore band forming in 1985 and releasing their first LP “Straight Edge Holocaust” in 1987. Adelaide was also home to early hardcore punk band The Skunks who formed in 1979 and released their first EP in 1982. Rupture from Perth was another popular band forming in the mid-1980s. Canberra was home to The Vacant Lot a band who formed in 1978 and played quite a few gigs around the nations capital until they disbanded in August 1980. The Vacant Lot released one EP in 1980.
Winston McCall of Parkway Drive commented in an interview about straight edge and veganism:
The ABC Triple J network has a weekly program, short.fast.loud, which showcases some punk and hardcore music released both locally and elsewhere. The show focuses on a range of music, from radio-friendly acts such as Go It Alone, Stolen Youth and Miles Away, to smaller, more obscure act such as Hospital The Musical, Bad Day Down, Robotosaurus, This City Sunrise and R.A.D.
The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of ideologies, fashion, and other forms of expression, visual art, dance, literature, and film. Largely characterised by anti-establishment views, the promotion of individual freedom, and the DIY ethics, the culture originated from punk rock.
Hardcore punk is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk scenes in San Francisco and Southern California which arose as a reaction against the still predominant hippie cultural climate of the time. It was also inspired by Washington, D.C., and New York punk rock and early proto-punk. Hardcore punk generally disavows commercialism, the established music industry and "anything similar to the characteristics of mainstream rock" and often addresses social and political topics with "confrontational, politically charged lyrics".
Hardline is a deep ecology subculture that has its roots in the vegan straight edge hardcore punk scene. It is commonly seen as a more extreme version of straight edge. From its outset, Hardline adherents put out statements and literature pushing a biocentric view of the world, which advocated for militant veganism, animal rights, anti-abortion, anti-homosexuality, and a much more militant version of the straight edge philosophy, which advocates for a no alcohol, no drugs, no tobacco lifestyle. The Hardline worldview has been described variously as ecoauthoritarian and ecofascist in nature. Nonetheless, Hardline co-founder Sean Muttaqi adamantly rejected racism and fascism.
Earth Crisis is an American metallic hardcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Since 1993 the band's longest serving members are vocalist Karl Buechner, lead guitarist Scott Crouse, bassist Ian Edwards and drummer Dennis Merrick. Their third and current rhythm guitarist Erick Edwards joined the band in 1998.
Refused is a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå and formed in 1991. Refused is composed of vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Kristofer Steen, drummer David Sandström, and bassist Magnus Flagge. Guitarist Jon Brännström was a member from 1994, through reunions, until he was fired in late-2014. Their lyrics are often of a non-conformist and politically far-left nature and were for a time associated with the straight edge subculture.
Youth crew is a music subculture of hardcore punk, which was particularly prominent during the New York hardcore scene of the late 1980s. Youth crew is distinguished from other punk styles by its optimism and moralistic outlook. The original youth crew bands and fans were predominantly straight edge.
Parkway Drive are an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, New South Wales, formed in 2003. Parkway Drive have released seven studio albums, one EP, two DVDs, a split album and one book, titled Ten Years of Parkway Drive. The band's latest three albums have reached number 1 of the Australian ARIA Charts – Ire (2015), Reverence (2018), and Darker Still (2022).
Punk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the punk subculture and punk rock. It is primarily concerned with concepts such as mutual aid, against selling out, hierarchy, white supremacy, authoritarianism, eugenics, class and classism, while supporting anti-consumerism, anti-corporatism, anti-war, anti-imperialism, leftism, anti-globalization, anti-gentrification, anti-racism, anti-sexism, gender equality, anti-homophobia, racial equality, animal rights, free-thought and non-conformity. One of its main tenets is a rejection of mainstream, corporate mass culture and its values. It continues to evolve its ideology as the movement spreads throughout North America from its origins in England and New York and embraces a range of anti-racist and anti-sexist belief systems. Punk does not necessarily lend itself to any particular political ideology as it is primarily anti-establishment although leftist punk is more common due to the prevalence of liberal and conservative ideologies in the status-quo.
Timothy James McIlrath is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He is vegan and straight edge.
Raid were a Tennessee based straight edge hardcore punk band that formed after the break-up of the hardcore band One Way. Raid were a part of the Hardline subculture, which combined the tenets of straight edge with militant veganism and environmentalism.
Australian musicians played and recorded some of the earliest punk rock, led by The Saints who released their first single in 1976. Subgenres or offshoots of punk music, such as local hardcore acts, still have a strong cult following throughout Australia today.
The Open Season were a four-piece alternative rock band from Adelaide, South Australia.
Ultimatum were an influential hardcore punk band based in Melbourne, Australia, and formed in 1995. They were the first vegan straight edge band in Australia and appeared around the same time that Earth Crisis released Destroy the Machines. Ultimatum were one of the early Australian bands to introduce the modern 'new school' metal influenced form of hardcore to Australia. They were also recognised, not only for their vegan straight edge stance, but also for their emotional and politically charged lyrics.
Carpathian were an Australian hardcore band formed in Melbourne in 2003. The band disbanded in 2011, with its final line-up comprising vocalist Martin Kirby, guitarists Josh Manitta and Lloyd Carroll, bass guitarist Ed Redcliff and drummer David "Skan" Bichard. Carpathian was made up of both straight edge and non-straight edge members.
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs, in reaction to the excesses of punk subculture. Some adherents refrain from engaging in promiscuous sex, follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, and do not use caffeine or prescription drugs. The term "straight edge" was adopted from the 1981 song "Straight Edge" by the hardcore punk band Minor Threat.
Canadian hardcore punk originated in the early 1980s. It was harder, faster, and heavier than the Canadian punk rock that preceded it. Hardcore punk is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A. may have helped to popularize the term with the title of their 1981 album, Hardcore '81. Hardcore historian Steven Blush said that the term "hardcore" is also a reference to the sense of being "fed up" with the existing punk and new wave music. Blush also states that the term refers to "an extreme: the absolute most Punk." An article in Drowned in Sound argues that 1980s-era "hardcore is the true spirit of punk", because "after all the poseurs and fashionistas fucked off to the next trend of skinny pink ties with New Romantic haircuts, singing wimpy lyrics", the punk scene consisted only of people "completely dedicated to the DIY ethics". One definition of the genre is "a form of exceptionally harsh punk rock."
Title Fight is an American rock band from Kingston, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. They released three studio albums – Shed (2011), Floral Green (2012) and Hyperview (2015) – gradually shifting from a hardcore punk-oriented sound towards shoegaze and indie rock. Hyperview was released through Anti-, a record label to which the band signed in July 2014.
Vegan Reich was an American hardcore punk band from Laguna Beach, California, United States, active from 1986 to 1999. Fronted by singer-songwriter Sean Muttaqi, the band was formerly identified with the controversial hardline subculture, a more militant tendency of the vegan straight edge movement.
The Geeks is a hardcore punk band from South Korea. They were formed in 1999 by schoolmates Seo Kiseok (vocalist) and Kang Junsung (guitarist), shortly after discovering the existence of Korean punk through the Our Nation compilation put out by Drug Records.
Animal rights are closely associated with two ideologies of the punk subculture: anarcho-punk and straight edge. This association dates back to the 1980s and has been expressed in areas that include song lyrics, benefit concerts for animal rights organisations, and militant actions of activists influenced by punk music. Among the latter, Rod Coronado, Peter Daniel Young and members of SHAC are notable. This issue spread into various punk rock and hardcore subgenres, e.g. crust punk, metalcore and grindcore, eventually becoming a distinctive feature of punk culture.
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