In the world of fast, grimy old-school hardcore punk, Spy and Maniac are two of the most dependable bands out there. Spy, from the Bay Area, got started during the pandemic, and they’ve already become underground favorites. Over the past two years, the band has released the EPs Service Weapon and Habitual Offender. Their live show is reportedly nuts, and I can’t wait to see them. Maniac, from Massachusetts, have been around since 2015, and their members have also been in bands like Restraining Order and All Due Respect. Maniac put out a full LP called War & Insanity in 2018, and we haven’t heard from them since their 2019 split with Seed Of Pain. Today, Spy and Maniac join forces.

Spy and Maniac have just released a new split 7″, which makes perfect sense. The two bands might come from different places, but they’ve got a similar short-fast-brutish style. On the new split, the two bands contribute two songs apiece, all of which hover around the two-minute mark. Spy’s tracks “Clobbered” and “1-800” are commendably gross and ugly, while Maniac’s “Last Rites” and “Rapture” are more efficiently brutal. Check ot the whole EP below.

The Spy/Maniac split is out now on Triple B Records.