Void

Void were a four-piece hardcore/punk/thrash band from Washington, D.C. They formed in 1980 and broke up in 1983, which was a surprisingly long life span for a band in D.C. at the time. Despite their years together, they only put out one album, which was the second half of the now legendary Faith/Void split. This could very well be the single greatest split ever to be released in punk, and that's not a hyperbolic statement. Both bands broke ground in early hardcore, but in very different ways. Faith, on one hand, took unabridged aggression and turned it into something somewhat resembling melody, while still mastering the drill-sergeant command of their contemporaries. Void, on the other hand, took spastic chaos and just fucking ran with it. Hook up a bunch of kids barely out of their teens to a car battery, shock them into oblivion, and you'll have the equivalent amount of adrenaline that Void put into their music. Even from the first riff of "Who Are You", it's obvious this is a band that can barely be contained. Their music was so trashed, they basically pioneered thrash (metal, and groan away at the pun). Void's side of the split is, in my opinion, one of the most defining moments in hardcore history (as is Faith's, of course).

As I said, Void's legacy was built upon just the 12 songs on the split for a long time. They also had 3 other songs about on Flex Your Head, but that was about it for their officially released material. For a long time, that contributed to the band's mystery. They did have bootlegs circulated, but none every received proper mastering and widespread release. In the advent of the internet, however, this changed, of course. The curtains pulled back, but at least we get to hear some of the hallowed unreleased material that hid below the surface for years. Their fully recorded but unreleased full-length, Potion For Bad Dreams, as well as an early demo, Condensed Flesh, are both available online (as well as here). In 2011, Ian MacKaye compiled a ton of lost recordings of them, including early demos spanning from '81, '82', and '83, as well as some live material and the songs that appeared on the Flex Your Head compilation. Thus, their only other official release, Sessions 1981-83 was born. There's also a ton of live videos and sets from them around the internet, and I cannot recommend checking them out enough, they are unbelievable. Without further ado, here's what made the legendary Void what they are. Enjoy.

Faith/Void (1982)

1. Faith - It's Time

2. Faith - Face To Face

3. Faith - Trapped

4. Faith - In Control

5. Faith - Another Victim

6. Faith - What's Wrong With Me?

7. Faith - What You Think

8. Faith - Confusion

9. Faith - You're X'd

10. Faith - Nightmare

11. Faith - Don't Tell Me

12. Faith - In The Black

13. Void - Who Are You?

14. Void - Time To Die

15. Void - Condensed Flesh

16. Void - Ignorant People

17. Void - Change Places

18. Void - Ask Them Why

19. Void - Organized Sports

20. Void - My Rules

21. Void - Self-Defense

22. Void - War Hero

23. Void - Think

24. Void - Explode

Potion For Bad Dreams (1983)

1. Unknown

2. Bloodlust

3. Next Time

4. Breakaway

5. Red Death

6. The Difference

7. Beautiful Yet Dangerous

8. Win Or Lose

9. Spiral Staircase

10. Start The Night

11. Lose My Cool

Condensed Flesh (1992)

1. Organized Sports/Annoyed

2. Controller/Revolt

3. Condensed Flesh

4. Black, Jewish & Poor

5. War Hero

6. Get Out Of My Way

7. Go South

Sessions 1981-83 (2011)

1. Void

2. War Hero (version)

3. Go South

4. Condensed Flesh (version)

5. Controller Revolt

6. Dehumanized (version)

7. Suburbs Suck

8. Organized Sports/Who The Fuck Are You

9. Annoyed

10. Don't Wanna Be Like You

11. Black, Jewish and Poor (version)

12. Please Give Us A Chance

13. Protect and Serve

14. Time To Die

15. Self-Defense

16. Draft Me Please

17. Authority (version)

18. All White Neighbourhood

19. Halfways Boys

20. Wasted Party

21. Dehumanized (version)

22. Authority (version)

23. My Rules (version)

24. Get Out Of My Way

25. Condensed Flesh (version)

26. Organized Sports/Annoyed

27. Controller/Revolt (version)

28. Black, Jewish And Poor (version)

29. War Hero (version)

30. Go South (version)

31. Dehumanized (version)

32. Get Out Of My Way (version)

33. Explode (live)

34. My Rules (live)  

Dischord