Band: Picket Line
From: Seattle, Washington
Their formation story:
(Ryan, vocals): "In early 2024, a band I was in came to an end and I thought I was done playing music. My frustration with life and this world grew and I needed an outlet. I knew I could get a band started and ready for shows faster if I recorded a demo and assembled the band later. I recorded a 4-song demo with our drummer in July and August of 2024 titled Est. 2024.
"I've known Scot (drums), Brian (bass), and Ray (lead guitar) for over a decade and they were all on-board to join the project. I met Andrew (rhythm guitar) at a show right around the time I released the demo online. We have a lot of mutual friends, and he fell quickly into place.
"We wrote 3 more songs to round out a set list and we started playing shows in November of 2024. All of us have other bands, but we have managed to play about once a month since we started."
Their sound in their own words:
"We are a hardcore punk band musically influenced by Oi! and hardcore, while being lyrically influenced by class consciousness. For fans of No Time, Concrete Elite, Coupe Gorge, Restraining Order, and Set to Explode."
Latest release info:
"Our newest release is a single titled 'We Won’t Break,' it features Jon from the band Empire Down. We recorded the music in late 2024 with a batch of songs that would be released as the True Blue EP. I didn’t have lyrics for it at the time, so it didn’t make the cut.
"The music is inspired by the current French Oi! sound with gothy reverb guitar lead played over a hardcore rhythm. The lyrics are inspired by the IWW hymn Solidarity Forever by Ralphe Chaplin. Working class people are being exploited by politicians, capitalism, and war, while I have a disdain for all three. Stop holding back your hatred for the ruling class. We are justified in our hatred.
"I got Jon a Trail shirt at their Seattle reunion show back in May for his payment that I still haven't sent him [laughs]. Sorry, Jon. I’ll hit the post office soon, I swear."
Future plans:
"We have a few local shows in the Seattle area to finish out 2025. In January we are planning on doing a long weekend run of shows from Bellingham, WA down to Portland, OR. We also have 3 new songs that will be released by the end of the year on cassette tape through Mind Eraser Records. Keep your eyes out for those updates."
What other bands from their region should we check out?
"I have to first and foremost shout out all the other bands we play in. I play in a pop-punk band called EEP-OOP!!! Scot plays in a post-hardcore band called Shame Banger and a synth band called Very Serious. Brian plays in a hardcore band called Land of Wolves. If you like Sheer Terror, you’ll love Land of Wolves. Andrew has a post-punk solo project called Drewgie, and Ray has a punk band called The Famous Last Words. All of them rule and all of them sound different from Picket Line.
"Other local bands that people should check out are Masters of War. A new old-guy straight edge band. They sound dark and epic with screaming vocals about how this world sucks. They rule. Dead Street are our pals who play fast melodic punk. Bugs are a very good Ramones-core band from here.
"Some of the members of Spurr are my homies and are my personal favorite Northwest Hardcore band right now. Wake of Humanity, Unjust, and Chopping Block are all very good hardcore bands from the area as well."
Picket Line on social media: Instagram
Tagged: picket line
