One look at The Enforced's new tape cover gives a good indication of where the Melbourne hardcore band are coming from. Designed by Christopher Simpson, the simple black and white illustration of a ghoulish and pissed off looking figure punching through a brick wall, pays homage to The Abused's classic 1983 album Loud and Clear.Like the Abused, the Melbourne four-piece play gruff, no nonsense, skinhead inspired punk rock that seethes with discontent at ….. , well everything. Listen to the track "Disgusted" below to get a good understanding of the heavy negative vibes that I'm talking about.The band are playing at this year's Maggot Fest alongside equally antagonistic acts GELD, Spottingand Oily Boys.We had a quick chat to the band's James Kane.Noisey: The cover has a very Abused feel to it. Is that where you are coming from musically too?
James Kane: We wanted to channel all the early Boston and NY hardcore. Anyone can do it but few choose to. It's something we all listen to so we wanted to make some to fulfil the need of playing it and hearing it.What prompted you to start the band?
It just came from hearing and seeing the heavy hitters get so much done and being so consistent record to record. We are all in other bands so it was just a desire to do something else and personally, I had some stuff to get off my chest.Disgust is not a new theme in HC. But what disgusts you in 2016?
Disgust has always been in hardcore and music as a whole. I think it's the sole motivation in writing a hardcore song. I guess it may be more prevalent because people are exposed to more of the atrocities and ugliness of the world due to the media and the Internet. And people have been reading other people's lyric books for decades now… A lot disgusts and frustrates us. Bad drivers, peak hour traffic, bills, politics, the aggressively ignorant, bad music, abuse of power, the cost of self-releasing music, trends and fads, underperforming sports teams we support. The whole lot.You are playing Maggot Fest. Any bands in particular that you are keen on checking out?
Keen to see Faceless Burial because they are our boys, Asbestosisis, Tyrannamen, Oily Boys, Robber, Eskhaton and whoever is tipped to be red hot.
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James Kane: We wanted to channel all the early Boston and NY hardcore. Anyone can do it but few choose to. It's something we all listen to so we wanted to make some to fulfil the need of playing it and hearing it.What prompted you to start the band?
It just came from hearing and seeing the heavy hitters get so much done and being so consistent record to record. We are all in other bands so it was just a desire to do something else and personally, I had some stuff to get off my chest.Disgust is not a new theme in HC. But what disgusts you in 2016?
Disgust has always been in hardcore and music as a whole. I think it's the sole motivation in writing a hardcore song. I guess it may be more prevalent because people are exposed to more of the atrocities and ugliness of the world due to the media and the Internet. And people have been reading other people's lyric books for decades now… A lot disgusts and frustrates us. Bad drivers, peak hour traffic, bills, politics, the aggressively ignorant, bad music, abuse of power, the cost of self-releasing music, trends and fads, underperforming sports teams we support. The whole lot.You are playing Maggot Fest. Any bands in particular that you are keen on checking out?
Keen to see Faceless Burial because they are our boys, Asbestosisis, Tyrannamen, Oily Boys, Robber, Eskhaton and whoever is tipped to be red hot.
The Enforced play Maggot Fest VII.