Invertebrates: Sick to Survive 12"

A couple years back here in Richmond, VA, a group known as INVERTEBRATES emerged from the river sludge, dropping an absolutely scorching demo AND promo tape in conjunction with the pulverizing of many a gig audience fortunate enough to witness them. While the INVERTS have stayed the course on the latter, continuing to belt out the hits in the live setting the hardcore punk faithful have been hungry for more, and folks, am I excited to let ya know the wait is over! Featuring a handful of tunes from those aforementioned tapes that many have surely worn out by now, "SICK TO SURVIVE" is ten tracks of perfectly executed "45 RPM on a 12" style hardcore punk" - meaning that while it doesn't overstay it's welcome you will be left with a few sonic rage induced lumps as a reminder of the time spent together. Truly a slab for those who love the genre yet refuse to allot time for any of the extra bullshit that comes in tow with it at this particular point of the dystopian nightmare we find ourselves in. Each record comes in a jacket with a huge fold out newsprint poster and insert, all of which were designed by singer Max Mattoon.

Our take: Longtime Sorry State followers may remember that we (re-) released the demo cassette from this Richmond band back in 2022, and now they’re back with their debut vinyl on Beach Impediment Records. Invertebrates’ live lineup features three members who also play in Public Acid, but their straightforward hardcore sound differs from Public Acid’s noise-drenched, metal-infused crunch-and-rip. Instead, Invertebrates remind me of the mid-aughts glory years of retro 80s hardcore, when the most exciting bands were casting off the excesses and evolutions of 90s hardcore and stripping the genre back to its bones. There’s nothing indulgent on Sick to Survive, which is all blistering riffs and brisk beats. At the same time, though, these are veteran musicians and there’s an undeniable sense of craftsmanship and musicality giving shape to the onslaught. The complex yet fluid riffing reminds me of the fastest Career Suicide and Government Warning tracks, but whereas those bands broke up their records with the occasional moment where melody took precedence over speed, Invertebrates basically never let their foot off the gas, blazing through these ten tracks with nary a chance to catch your breath. Besides the blisteringly hooky riffing that sits at the center of their sound, Invertebrates are masters of arranging their songs for maximum impact, with brief tempo changes (not breakdowns... an important distinction) and passages with broken, staccato drum patterns giving the songs an ebb and flow without ever giving the impression they’re slowing down or slacking off. Their vocalist Max’s classic hardcore bark is also great, keeping things aggro with the melody lurking just below the surface for the true heads to appreciate. You don’t need me to tell you how good Sick to Survive is, though... this record seemed to hit the internet like a battering ram the day it came out, and audiences are universally blown away. So give it a listen and join the party.