Negative Approach

Negative Approach are a seminal four-piece hardcore punk band from Detroit, Michigan that initially existed from 1981 to 1984, though reunited in 2006 and have been playing shows ever since. This band is one of the undisputed best and most important hardcore bands ever. They were defined by their anger, aggression, and vocalist John Brannon's distinct bark and less-than-positive lyricism, all of which hold up for years after their incarnation, and have continued to be influential even to this day.

In their original few years as a band, their main recorded output consisted of a self-titled 7" and one LP, Tied Down, both on Touch And Go Records. Their legacy would really be solidified years after, with the release of Total Recall, which compiled both their EP and LP, in addition to demos and live tracks, all from their initial three years as a band. This compilation is absolutely essential, and I would rank it among certain other hardcore bests (Minor Threat's Complete Discography, Black Flag's The First Four Years, etc.) This is classic hardcore punk 101.

Post-Negative Approach, Brannon formed another incredible band, Laughing Hyenas, which played a blues-punk hybrid. I'd also highly recommend giving them a listen (there's a post on them from a few months ago). He was also in another band called Easy Action. In 2006, Negative Approach was reformed by Brannon and drummer Chris "Opie" Moore, both who were a part of the original NA line-up. Since then, they've played a few sporadic shows, tours, and festivals. This band has got a strong legacy, and some timeless songs that don't age easily. Highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Tied Down (1983)

1. Tied Down

2. Hypocrite

3. Evacuate

4. Said And Done

5. Nothing

6. Your Mistake

7. Live Your Life

8. Friend or Foe

9. Dead Stop

10. I'll Survive

Total Recall (1992)

1. Lost Cause

2. Can't Tell No One

3. Sick Of Talk

4. Pressure

5. Why Be Something That You're Not

6. Nothing

7. Fair Warning

8. Ready To Fight

9. Lead Song

10. Whatever I Do

11. Negative Approach

12. Tied Down

13. Hypocrite

14. Evacuate

15. Said And Done

16. Nothing

17. Your Mistake

18. Live Your Life

19. Friend Or Foe

20. Dead Stop

21. I'll Survive

22. Can't Tell No One

23. Whatever I Do

24. Ready To Fight

25. Chaos

26. Pressure + Fair Warning

27. Lost Cause

28. Genocide + Lost Cause

29. Never Surrender

30. D.A.B.F.

31. Said And Done

32. Sick Of Talk + N.A.

33. Your Mistake

34. Tied Down

35. I'll Survive

36. Kiss Me Kill Me

37. I Got A Right

38. Tunnel Vision

Ready To Fight (2005)

1. Pressure

2. No Doubt About It

3. Don't Calle Me Up

4. I Don't Want It

5. Sick Of Talk

6. Ready To Fight

7. Lost Cause

8. Chaos

9. Fashionable Idiots

10. Negative Approach

11. Your Mistake

12. Friend Or Foe

13. Live Your Life

14. Tied Down

15. Hypocrite

16. I'll Survive

17. Nothing

18. Said And Done

19. Can't Tell No One

20. Sick Of Talk

21. Whatever I Do

22. Shit For Brains

23. Ready To Fight

24. Friend Or Foe

25. Live Your Life

26. Said And Done

27. Lead Song

28. Nothing

29. Fair Warning

30. Never Surrender

31. Negative Approach

32. Tied Down

33. Ready To Fight

34. Fair Warning

35. Hypocrite

36. Why Be Something That You're Not

37. Friend Or Foe

38. Dead Stop

39. Whatever I Do

40. Sick Of Talk

41. Can't Tell No One

42. Your Mistake

43. Live Your Life

44. Nothing

45. Negative Approach

46. Evacuate

47. Chaos

48. DABF

49. Pressure

50. Genocide

Note: Tracks 1-18 are demos, tracks 19-50 are live

Friends Of No One (2010)

1. Friends Of No One

2. Obsession

3. I Got A Right (The Stooges cover)

4. Cargo Cult

5. Kiss Me Kill Me

6. Genocide

Note: Recorded in 1984

True Love

True Love are a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Detroit, Michigan that formed in 2013. These guys play a straight-up kickass style of hardcore that's quite reminiscent of American Nightmare. After two fantastic EP's a few years back, they've released their debut full-length on Bridge 9 this year. Grab everything below, this is high-energy hardcore at its finest. Enjoy.

A Floral Note (2013)

1. Intro/TLC

2. Midnight People

3. Out In The Streets Pt. 1

4. American Tears

5. Chained Melody

New Young Gods (2014)

1. Non Places

2. Long Lonely Time

3. Tomorrow Or After

4. A Wide Enough River

5. At The Top With All The Breaks

6. Night Shade

7. Those Days

8. A Serious Man

Heaven's Too Good For Us (2016)

1. Piece For A Piece

2. Your Side

3. Out In The Streets, Pt. 1

4. Kill For That

5. Midnight People

6. Young To Die

7. Where It Ends

8. Chained Melody

9. The One And Only

10. Out In The Streets, Pt. III

11. Meant To Take

12. Enouement

13. Stay True

The Pact (2018)

1. Outside Of Outsiders

2. Scene of The Crime

3. The Pact

4. Nothing Left

5. Change Or Die

6. The Other Way

7. Saudade

8. Care Of Cell

The Armed

The Armed are a five-piece band from Detroit, Michigan that formed in 2009. They were formed out of the remnants of another band called Slicer Dicer, though the members of The Armed often go unnamed. This band is an all-out assault on both the ears and the mind. Sonically, they're loud and aggressive, but still precise in their attack. Songs get shredded through with militant execution and unleashed frustration. Not only through the music, but through their lyrics they convey this agenda of aggression. The band expresses a clear disdain for contemporary culture, which may not be entirely original, but still quite poignant. Their second full-length (produced by Kurt Ballou) came out last year, which you might recognize from my "best of" list. Enjoy.

These Are Lights (2009)

1. Party At Pablo's

2. Kingbreaker

3. Hail Troglodon

4. As Centaurs

5. Buy A Snake

6. I Steal What I Want

7. Grand Party Frankenstein

8. Gave Up

9. Terrordactyl

10. Elephant

11. The Great Fatsby

Common Enemies (2010)

1. Death Panel

2. Liar

3. Second Hand

4. Woodenlung

Young & Beautiful (2011)

1. Young & Beautiful

2. Mujahoudini

3. Pushing Daisies

4. Maize Maze

5. You Have Died

Spreading Joy (2012)

1. Cop Friends

2. No Rest Until Ruin

3. Bloat

4. Sterling Results

5. Countervictims

The Armed/Tharsis Thay (2013)

1. The Armed - Culture Faded

2. The Armed - American Lives

3. Tharsis They - Dim Rivers

4. Tharsis They - Dragging Stones

An Ode To No One (2014)

1. An Ode To No One (Smashing Pumpkins cover)

Untitled (2015)

1. Future Drugs

2. Forever Scum

3. Nervewrecker

4. Rhythm 0

5. Enemies Closer

6. Blessings

7. Dead Actress

8. Polarizer

9. Ender

10. No Risk

11. Issachar

12. Paradise Day

13. Rage Of Youth

14. Dead Artist

Only Love (2018)

1. Witness

2. Role Models

3. Nowhere To Be Found

4. Apperception

5. Parody Warning

6. Fortune's Daughter

7. Luxury Themes

8. Heavily Lined

9. Middle Homes

10. Ultraglass

11. On Jupiter

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Bear vs. Shark

This band should have been up years ago, but I suppose later is better than never. Bear vs. Shark were a five-piece post-hardcore band from Detroit, Michigan. They were active from 2001 to 2005 and signed to Equal Vision. They only released two full-lengths and an EP in their time, but they've proven to be one of the most influential post-hardcore bands from the early 2000's. They picked up on what At The Drive-In were doing on El Gran Orgo and ran with it. The gruff yet melodic vocals, the dual guitar riffs, loud/quiet dynamics, and the pounding energy are not only heir to ATDI, but what defined Bear vs. Shark most. Their two full-lengths are brimming with solid songs, which is why they're one of those bands that just have to be known within their respective corner of the musicsphere. Enjoy.

1653 (2001)

1. Campfire

2. United Tribes of Pangea

3. Kylie

4. California Hotseat

5. Michigan

6. Remember This Assignment

7. Bloodgiver

8. Ma Jolie

Right Now, You're In The Best Of Hands. And If Something Isn't Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know In A Hurry (2003)

1. Ma Jolie

2. Campfire

3. Buses/No Buses

4. The Employee Is Not Afraid

5. We Were Sad But Not Rebuilding

6. Kylie

7. MPS

8. Second

9. Don't Tell The Horses The Stable's On Fire

10. Bloodgiver

11. Michigan

12. Broken Dog Leg

Terrorhawk (2005)

1. Catamaran

2. 5, 6 Kids

3. Six Bar Phrase Hey Hey

4. The Great Dinosaurs With Fifties Section

5. Baraga Embarkment

6. Entrance Of The Elected

7. Seven Stop Hold Restart

8. What A Horrible Night For A Curse

9. Out Loud Hey Hey

10. India Foot

11. Antwan

12. I Fucked Your Dad

13. Heard Iron Bug, "They're Coming To Town"

14. Song About Old Roller Coaster

15. Rich People Say Fuck Yeah Hey Hey

Fireworks

Fireworks is a pop punk quintet from Detroit, Michigan. They started in 2005 and signed to Run For Cover Records, releasing an EP (We Are Everywhere) and a 7" (Adventure, Nostalgia, And Robbery) with them. They were then signed by Triple Crown Records, with whom they re-released their first EP and recorded their first full-length in 2009 (All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion). The following year, they released another EP (Bonfires) and in 2011, they released their sophomore album, Gospel, which featured their hit track Arrows.
Fireworks has toured with many popular pop punk bands (such as New Found Glory, The Wonder Years, etc.) and played every date of the 2012 Vans Warped Tour.

FFO: The Wonder Years, Misser, Polar Bear Club, New Found Glory, Cartel, Real Friends, etc.

Can't Hardly Wait Demo (2005)

1. Denise Flemming Is A Tampon

2. Sheep! You Are All Sheep! BAH!

3. Women With No Curfew, Women On The Pill, Women...Women, Bro

4. Anybody Order A Loveburger? Well Done...

5. Mike Dexter > Amanda Beckett

6. Somebody?... More Like, Nobody!

We Walk The Streets At Night (2006)

1. Attitude

2. Horror Business

3. Hybrid Moments

4. Where Eagles Dare

We Are Everywhere (2006)

1. From Mountain Movers, To Lazy Losers

2. The Midnight Society

3. Cardellini

4. You Weren't Born With A Bag Of Sand In Your Hands

5. Michigan Boys Need To Get A Clue

6. Don't Blame It On The Ocean Floor

Save Your Breath vs. Fireworks (2008)

1. From Mountain Movers To Lazy Losers

2. Michigan Boys Need To Get A Clue

3. Closet Weather 

Adventure, Nostalgia, And Robbery (2008)

1. Dave Mackinder Vs. The World

2. Heart-A-Tact

3. Decline Of A Midwestern Civilization

4. Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time

All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion (2009)

1. Geography, Vonnegut, And Me

2. Come Around

3. Closet Weather

4. 2923 Monroe St.

5. Holiday

6. I Support Same Sex Marriage

7. Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time

8. You've Lost Your Charm

9. Again And Again

10. Detroit

11. When We Stand On Each Other We Block Out The Sun

Bonfires EP (2010)

1. I Grew Up In A Legion Hall

2. Five Years

3. Like Ships In The Night

4. Seasick

Gospel (2011)

1. Arrows

2. I Was Born In The Dark

3. X's On Trees

4. We're Still Pioneers

5. Teeth

6. Oh, Why Can't We Start Old And Get Younger

7. Summer

8. Life Is Killing Me

9. I Am The Challenger

10. Paintings Of Paul Revere

11. I Locked My Time Capsule

12. The Wild Bunch

Oh, Common Life (2014)

1. Glowing Crosses

2. Bed Sores

3. The Back Window's Down

4. Flies On Tape

5. Woods

6. Play "God Only Knows" At My Funeral

7. One More Creature Dizzy With Love

8. The Only Thing That Haunts This House Is Me

9. The Sound of Young America

10. Run, Brother, Run

11. The Hotbed of Life

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