What? Am I reading this right? Can you believe Give Up The Ghost *actually think they have elements of *Joy Division, Pulp *and *My Bloody Valentine *in their sound? I mean, _c’mon_! This is hardcore punk rock not post-indie experimentation. What is it with hardcore bands listing these kinds of acts - who are ultimately as far removed from hardcore as absinthe is from Panda Pops - as bands that’ve heavily influenced their sound, anyway? The late Johnny Morrow loved his hip-hop but he never boasted about how they permeated the heart of *Iron Monkey’s evil sludge masterpieces*.

Anyway, this is two new tracks of highly-charged hardcore punk that are just slightly more pumped up and better produced than their 2001 *_‘Year One’ *full length, with an **Archers of Loaf **cover thrown in for a little variation. It’s not often hardcore bands release singles (like _never), but this is a nice little taster of what’s to come on their forthcoming full length, that must surely be the most eagerly anticipated hardcore release this year.

*based on Undergroove and Bad Acid fanzine interviews skim-read just now.