Sophie's Floorboard: Econochrist

Econochrist were a four-piece hardcore punk band that originated in Little Rock, Arkansas before moving to California and settling in the Bay Area. They were active from 1988 to 1993. In that time, they delivered two full-lengths, three EP's, a split, and a handful of compilation track appearances. Their debut EP came out in 1988, which was a solid albeit standard hardcore release for its era. They really came into their own after their cross-country move that occurred shortly after, along with Mike Scott coming in as their new bassist. His bass lines were the driving backbone to songs still heavily rooted in fast-paced power-chord punk, but with a well-rounded sense of dynamics, balancing elements of melody and dissonance. It also continued to establish their markedly political lyrical leanings. Their gradual evolution continued through Another Victim and their magnum opus Trained To Serve, both released by Vermiform Records. The now-defunct label is best remembered for their work with Moss Icon, Born Against, Heroin, Rorschach and more, all good indicators of the forward-thinking extremities Econochrist espoused in their latter years.

They dropped their dark and angular swan song Skewed on Ebullition Records in 1993, with their intensive vocal delivery, fretboard frenzied bass work, cutting guitar parts and pounding drums in chaotic tandem, and then called it quits. They marked their gravestone with the following year's retrospective discography, which includes all their released recorded material along with the handful of compilation tracks they dropped over the years. Highly recommended, especially as this band often goes unsung in their placement of genre-pushing political hardcore that emerged in the early 90's. Enjoy.