Can I interest you in a record where a guy with a voice like a disgruntled hell-goblin screams that he hates everything before the world's ugliest guitar riff kicks in? Yes, right? Doesn't that sound like something that you need in your life? It is, I promise. It's a great time. Philly hardcore marauders Scarab just dropped their full-length debut Burn After Listening, and it hits like a cinderblock to the spinal column. Let it in. Let the hate consume you.
Tyler Mullen, the aforementioned disgruntled hell-goblin, started Scarab after parting ways with Year Of The Knife, and his new band quickly developed a reputation as one of the meanest, most hellacious live bands in the hardcore world, a place full of mean and hellacious live bands. In 2023, Scarab released a nasty-ass demo and an even nastier EP called Seeking Choas And Revenge After Betrayal. Last year, they dropped the two-pack 3 Minute Detonator. Now, the first Scarab album is here. "Album" is a funny word for a collection of tracks that's only 13 minutes long, but I promise you that there's a full LP's worth of euphoric disgust on here.
A few heavyweights make guest appearances on Burn After Listening: Nails' Todd Jones, Blacklisted's George Hirsch, Innumerable Forms' DFJ. When you hear it, you can immediately understand how Scarab got those cosigns. This is beautifully feral music that should instantly take you into the nonthinking rage zone. I honestly don't know what more you could possibly want from a straight-up hardcore record. Stream it below.
Burn After Listening is out now on Rebirth.
