California hardcore is starting to become increasingly more noticeable and popular. Final Fight and Life Long Tragedy are two burgeoning California hardcore bands that have come together on a self-titled 7-inch EP to show the world exactly what California hardcore is all about. Representing both northern and southern California on this EP, both bands provide two songs each that are innovative, groundbreaking, and allow hardcore to progress in a way that is new and unique, yet still true to what hardcore is and has been since its inception.

The EP opens up with two songs from Final Fight, a promising hardcore band from Los Angeles that have been tearing up the local hardcore scenes and are ready to reach new audiences across the globe. Their lyrics contain notes of positivity, friendship, and having fun, while their music is complex and groundbreaking in terms of what other hardcore punk bands have been creating lately. Life Long Tragedy, the other band featured on this EP, is a hardcore band hailing from the bay area where hardcore punk is definitely not an unknown genre of music. Taking a strictly hardcore punk base and adding elements of metal to it, Life Long Tragedy have created a sound that is unique to hardcore music, but certainly not outside of the spectrum of hardcore itself. Their songs are impeccable, and feature some of the best music to ever come out of the bay area in years.

Overall, the EP is probably the best release I’ve heard this year, which is saying a lot since I usually don’t take notice to many bands that have put out new records. This EP will definitely win hearts over and can make a fan out of you quite easily. Even if you lack a turntable, you can still purchase the songs digitally from the Deathwish website (www.deathwishinc.com). If you’re looking for a cheap way to get into California hardcore, this is definitely it.