A lot of people, myself included, got their first whiff of hardcore through a certain cultural cornerstone that emerged in the 2000s: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The metal, pop-punk, and melodic hardcore bands that filled the soundtrack to these games were some of the most important moments in many of our lives as it gave us an intro into something that we now live our lives according to. 20 some odd years later, bands have evolved from the Epitaph playbook from back then yet there’s still a certain soul that melodic-minded groups can bring when it comes to lyricism and meaning.
This brings me to Maine hardcore newcomers Stab who lean heavily on the melodic hardcore sound that bands like AVAIL and Crime In Stereo made popular in the late '90s and early '00s, but also draw from newer groups like Drug Church and Skinhead with their dense and personal lyricism.
Forming just last month, Stab consists of members of many Maine and New Hampshire bands including Absolute Suffering, Hard Ca$h, Headcase, and Gumskab. While all their previous bands were some of the hardest out of their respective states, founder Joe explained: “Earlier this year Matt and I had started writing some more mellow stuff for a different project that never really got off the ground. After sitting on it for a few months, we sent the track over to Nik to drop some vocals on it.
"After hearing what Nik did, we knew we had something and pretty quickly hammered out another couple songs and rounded out the lineup with our homie Griffin on bass, and Bobby on drums. We dropped our demo like 3 weeks later. 'Rinse' was the track that started it all.”
Released at the end of July, the Stab demo shows that they were able to achieve this melodious sound while still keeping the hardcore punk energy of all their previous endeavors. Consisting of 3 original tracks and a cover, the Demo '25 displays the band's ability to create music that brings to mind a certain amount of nostalgia for the good and bad moments in life like summer days, skateboarding with your friends, or the mischief of youth.
Joe told me the inspiration for the overall vibe of the project came from a particularly nostalgic aforementioned source:
“Most of the inspiration, at least musically, came directly from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack. I’ve been playing the remastered versions of all 1-4 nonstop lately. Those soundtracks had always played a big part in my discovery of new music as a kid and I wanted to make something that could soundtrack those moments.”
One of the standouts of the demo is vocalist Nik’s lyrics as he dives far more deeper into personal subjects that affected his life. These lyrics are the deepest I’ve seen him dive into his personal life and he doesn’t shy away from the dark subject matter. “I just wrote what I felt would fit the vibe of each song. Every song is personal and mostly nostalgic," he told me. "'Rinse' is about my years as a heroin addict, 'Casco Street' is about falling in love, and 'Toy' is about violence and graffiti.”
The lyric that caught my attention was on the song “Rinse” when Nik sings: “30 Gauge to my arm I don’t feel anything/shooting up in the car I’m gonna crash and leave” as it was both a change in his subject matter and in his vocal style. It feels like this was his opportunity to show more of himself and put you in his shoes, it’s a moment that brings the music together because this kind of hardcore always has a way of tapping into everyone's struggles.
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The cover he refers to is Matchbox Twenty’s “Push” which I was equally surprised to see on the demo before I heard it but once I did I realized their take on the pop hit was actually perfect. Giving it a certain edge that the poppy hit single didn’t have before gave it a new identity that made the memories of better summers rush right into my head. “Honestly, I wasn't too psyched on the cover before we recorded it, but I put my trust in the boys and we made it slap,” Nik revealed. A perfect way to bookend this band's introduction to the world.
Stab currently have a bunch of shows lined up for the end of August and early September. They are also hoping to get a couple of runs along the East Coast and West Coast later this year. Currently the shows they have locked in are:
9/11 w/ Death Before Dishonor and Street Power in Portland, Maine
10/22 w/ End It in Portland, Maine
Most recently the band set up a GoFundMe for their guitarist Matt who was severely injured a couple weeks ago in Philadelphia in an unprovoked attack. You can donate to his medical bills here.
If you’re looking for some nostalgia-filled hardcore that reflects your wild, rebellious youth then Stab are here to provide the soundtrack. Just off their demo alone this band found that perfect blend of old school hardcore emotion and the relentless modern day energy to keep the skaters feeling brave and the troublemakers even braver.
Stab would like to shout out: "Jake Daws, Risk, Opposition, Mudslides from the Puritan in Manchester NH, Saco Valley United, Chris Link & Cheap Life Records, BG & Manchester Hardcore Shows, Underdog Barbershop, Fools Game, Negative Force, Bitter Bones, Mortar, Retract, Suicide Eyes, Quick to Judge, Pull Your Card, Marlboro Reds, Street Power, Fire in the Blood, Can’t Lose, John Pork, Collapsed Skull, Zinc, On the Outside, Cruel Hand, and so many more.
"Also check out any of the other bands we play in: Half Step, Headcase, Jeez, Condition, Hard Ca$h, Lovewell and Instigate."
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Demo '25 is available on cassette via Endnote Records.
Stab on social media: Instagram
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