On Might and Might Alone, Direct Measure captures a version of St. Louis hardcore that feels grounded in both conviction and community. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the album’s closing track, “GCHC,” which brings together guest vocals from members of Drop the Blade, Maladjust, Squint, Time and Pressure, and Volition. While much of the 2025 LP is rooted in themes of class struggle and injustice, guitarist Jake Meyer explains that “GCHC” came from a different place altogether.
“When we were initially writing the LP, we had a very specific theme in mind, writing about the struggles of class warfare, injustices, and the working class,” Meyer says. “This song in particular had nothing to do with that, and we just wanted to put a track on the record that was very much in the vein of bands like Minority Unit, where it was like seven different vocalists, all local to our scene.” Even so, the song still fits naturally into the record’s broader message. “In a way, it does reflect that theme still, based on the unity aspect of it,” he adds.
That same sense of unity carried over into the video for “GCHC,” which was filmed during the band’s release show. True to hardcore tradition, the process was far from polished. “In true fashion, we planned it in a very clusterfuck manner [laughs],” Meyer says. To make sure everyone involved could be part of it, Direct Measure booked the release show with their closest friends — all of whom appeared on the track. “That way, we knew that everybody would be there for it.”
The result was a one-take explosion of bodies and voices. “We did it all in one take, the very last song of the set, and just summoned everyone to the stage at the same time [laughs].”
Six months after the release of Might and Might Alone, the response has only reinforced that approach. “I feel like everybody says this when they put out a full length record, but truly it has been nothing short of amazing for us,” Meyer says. The band has stayed busy, playing festivals and touring behind the record, and the LP feels like a defining statement. “It really does feel like a representation of our band to the fullest extent, and we couldn’t be more thankful to anybody who has listened to it, bought it, or watched us play it.”
Meyer also points to the broader momentum within the St. Louis hardcore scene as a major source of inspiration. He quickly rattles off a list of newer bands — The Safe Place, Barbed Wire Sandwich, Black Glove, xCommandx, Worry Wart, Cause of Pain, Like Heaven — before noting that what stands out most is the collective energy.
“All of these bands and people, young and closer to my age, are bringing something to Saint Louis that has either not been present during my time here, or just not paid attention to as much,” he says, citing “the constant unity and effort and creativeness between different sub genres of this thing we call hardcore.” For Meyer, the scene’s growth goes far beyond bands alone. “Shows are happening all the time, kids are making zines, kids are starting bands, kids are starting up their own recording studios. It’s truly epic.”
As for what’s next, Meyer jokes that there’s “not a damn thing” on the horizon — before quickly correcting himself. Direct Measure are already booking tours and working on new material, whether that takes the form of a split, an EP, or something else entirely. “We definitely have found our creative stride once again,” he says. “And I’m very thankful for it.”
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Might and Might Alone is out now via WAR Records.
Direct Measure on social media: Instagram
Tour dates:
Friday 3/6 - Indianapolis, IN Hoosier Dome
Saturday 3/7 - Cleveland, OH Brothers Lounge
Sunday 3/8- Pittsburgh, PA Preserving Underground
Monday 3/9 - Washington DC Pie Shop
Tuesday 3/10 - Roanoke, VA Blindhouse Beer Co.
Wednesday 3/11 - Charlotte, NC The Milestone Club
Thursday 3/12 - Atlanta, GA Culture Shock
Friday 3/13 - Cookeville, TN Mean Mel’s
Saturday 3/14 - St. Louis, MO The Sinkhole
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