Prison Planet is a new name, but its members are anything but new to hardcore.
Formed by members of Owe You Nothing, Paper Trail, 80 Bagg, and Choose Your Weapon, the North Carolina/Virginia hardcore band began when vocalist Dean McNeil started sharing material he initially cooked up on his own. “I had written a few songs and sent them to Bud, our drummer, asking him if he wanted to play,” McNeil tells No Echo. “I had asked a few people prior, and things just wound up not working out due to scheduling. But Bud and I clicked immediately when we jammed everything.”
Bassist Drew joined next, recording the early material, with Jay from Choose Your Weapon and Ethan from 80 Bagg rounding out the lineup on guitar.
“Straight-up hardcore,” McNeil says when No Echo asked to describe Prison Planet's sound. “We wanted to make a perfect blend of all the bands we liked.” Much of their inspiration comes from Richmond hardcore. McNeil cites Friend Or Foe, Murder Weapon, and Down to Nothing as staples, while No Warning, Internal Affairs, Trash Talk, and Sheer Terror also factor into the band's musical mindset.
You can hear the first results on the Prison Planet's newly released two-song demo/promo:
"Two fast, angry songs," McNeil says about the release. The record also includes guest spots from Chase of No Echo favorites Selfish Means and Skinhead Mike of Unruly Boys. "IFHY" calls out newcomers who, McNeil says, join hardcore and try to change the culture to fit what they want. "Wrong Side" looks at online behavior and how McNeil thinks it affects the scene as a whole.
“In short: hardcore has always been loud, angry, and violent,” the vocalist says. “And it’s not gonna change just because you don’t like it. So get with it or get gone.”
Things are going to get really busy on Prison Planet in the coming months. An EP is already close to finished, with McNeil expecting a release around Thanksgiving. Shows are in the works, and the band plans to return to writing soon after.
As you probably already know, I love asking musicians what other hardcore bands from their region No Echo readers should look out for. McNeil highlights Over Your Head, Demonize, Guard Dog, Too True, Twisted Fate, All Alone, Broken Bonds, Natural End, Super Reg, Lucky Feeling, Eyez Wide Shut, Chaos Must Bow, A Knife in the Dark, Death Dealer, Ultimate Price, Lose Sight, Animal Instinct, Hitman, Spikepit, Mean Jesus, Root of Evil, Selfish Means, One of Nine, Skin You Alive, 80 Bagg, Hellrazor, Recoil, and Dangerous Game as bands worth checking out.
One recommendation comes with a warning: MoonDance.
“It's jazz fusion, nerds.”
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Prison Planet on social media: Instagram
Tagged: 80 bagg, owe you nothing, prison planet
