The new Gridiron album is about to go so hard. I can't wait. During the pandemic, a bunch of hardcore veterans from Detroit and Pennsylvania got together to form Gridiron, a new band that brought back rapcore, an ultra-ignorant subgenre that's gone dormant in recent years. The members of Gridiron came from bands like Never Ending Game, Scarab, and Simulakra, and they're all there to back up vocalist Matt Karll, whose whole thing is rapping about fucking you up. Their 2022 debut album No Good At Goodbyes was a cult favorite in hardcore circles, and it looks like they're going a lot bigger with its follow-up.
Last year, Gridiron signed to the start-up heavy-music label Blue Grape, and they released the extremely fun single "Talk Real." That song is on their upcoming sophomore LP Poetry Through Pain, which is set to arrive later this spring. The record has guest appearances from emo-rap fusion guy nothing, nowhere. and Action Bronson associate Big Body Bes, and it looks like we're getting a remix of Gridiron's 2022 compilation track "Playin' For Keeps" with underground rappers Daniel Son, Pro Dillinger, and Jay Royale. Most importantly, there's a song where Matt Karll informs you that you employee of the month at the bitch store.
Look, I can appreciate that good job options are hard to find, and you want to work someplace where you're appreciated. But really, you deserve better. Put out some feelers. Make some inquiries. You don't want to be working at the bitch store five years from now, do you? Take inspiration from Gridiron's new single "Mascot," a hard-ass stomper with gigantic scumbag riffs and a DJ scratch-solo just before the breakdown. Below, listen to "Mascot" and check out the Dan Centrone-directed "Mascot" video and the Pain Through Poetry tracklist.
TRACKLIST:
01 "26/9"
02 "Mascot"
03 "Army Of None"
04 "Best Served Cold"
05 "Tombstone"
06 "Still Playin' For Keeps (Big Umbrella Remix)" (Feat. Daniel Son, Pro Dillinger, & Jay Royale)
07 "Copycat League"
08 "Poetry From Pain" (Feat. nothing, nowhere.)
09 "Roses" (Feat. Mike "TRUCK" Ryan)
10 "Talk Real"
11 "Paydirt"
12 "Heavy Metal Money (Seen It All Before)" (Feat. Big Body Bes)
Poetry From Pain is out 5/30 on Blue Grape Music.
