A New Level
Cassie Carlson, PNN Staff
February 14, 2012
Filed under Entertainment, Music, Top Stories
What if I told you I have something that has the ability to make you feel passion, excitement, hatred, happiness, love, regret, fury, sorrow, aggression, and peace all at once? What if I told you I have something that will make you feel like the strongest person in the world? What if I told you I had the courage to give you to tell everyone exactly what is on your mind and how you feel about anything? The solution to all these unusual questions does not have a price, nor is it tangible. The key to feeling twenty different emotions at once, to feel as if you could conquer the universe, and to express your true self like you wish you could, is hardcore music.
Hardcore is a music genre that originated in the late 1970’s with the help of the success of punk rock. To the untrained ear, hardcore music may sound like inaudible vocals and untalented musicians that play their instruments haphazardly. The reality is that musicians that are apart of hardcore have more talent than most people give them credit for; especially people who negatively judge the music without actually listening to it. If you take the time to peel the layers of the music, you’ll find there is more heart in one song then anything you’ve heard in your entire life. Any hardcore band that is considered to be talented is capable of making you apart of their story, and that is the most relatable and overwhelming characteristic of this genre.
What separates hardcore from any other genre is the fact that there is no hidden agenda involved in the creation of the music. Almost every musician involved in this scene is apart of it because it’s what completes them, and makes them who they are. They are not concerned with what music will make them wealthy, what is catchy or popular, nor what the public or record labels wants from them. These people are not here to be the best guitar players or drummers on Earth, they are here to spread a message with as much aggression and veracity as possible. True hardcore is about breaking the rules and not conforming to the standards of mainstream music. This is a prime example of pure unadulterated emotion, with no holding back. The brashness and integrity of hardcore allows it to stand out over any genre of music.
Hardcore music came into my life about two years ago. I have been a fan of heavy metal music since I was born, so the transition from one to the other wasn’t too unusual. The first song I ever heard that introduced me to hardcore was ‘Dead Weight’ by Cruel Hand. I clearly remember how I felt when my brother showed me this song for the first time. I was so intrigued by their speedy chord progressions because it made me feel so empowered. The recording was extremely heartfelt and complex, and raw enough to sound like a basement recording. Once I listened to the song a few times over and analyzed the lyrics, I could feel the severity of what Cruel Hand was trying to communicate. This song is all about dealing with a loved one who is consumed by a cocaine addiction. Chris Linkovich, the vocalist, does a beautiful job divulging his private struggles to his listeners. Even if you don’t personally know anyone with an addiction, you can feel how much this torments him.
Hardcore is one of the only music genre’s that can proudly say it has dedicated fans all over the world. Hardcore is not just music, but a family as well. We are all there to support what we believe in. The feeling you get when attending a live hardcore show is indescribable. When you step outside of yourself and notice everyone in the room is chanting the same words with you with their fist in the air, is the moment euphoria takes over your entire being. The energy that flows through your body when the first song begins, the adrenaline you get when punching the wall after an unbearable day, the sound of your knees cracking while running into a circle pit and you cant stop because there is no tomorrow, is unlike any experience imaginable.
There is no possible way to define every aspect of hardcore in one sitting. Hardcore is all about unity, honor, and respect for one another. This music scene helps you deal with an unreasonable amount of hardships you have experienced throughout life. This is the one place where most people go to feel welcomed without obligation and are not ashamed to face their problems. It is a comforting feeling to realize that you are not the only one in this world with a copious amount of anger in your body, and that there are people just like you out there who suffer as well. When you’re ready to give it a listen, hardcore will be waiting for you somewhere between rage and bliss. Hardcore is more than music, it is a movement. It is not a trend that comes and goes, it will last forever. Most importantly, always remember that if you support the hardcore scene, you are not only apart of it, but it is apart of you as long as your heart beats.
