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Outpatients were an American hardcore punk band formed in 1982 in Westfield, Massachusetts by brothers Vis and Scott Helland. With the addition of drummer Mike Kingsbury, the trio recorded their "Basement Tape" demo in early 1983 and played extensive live shows throughout the northeast, including a brief east coast tour with Battalion of Saints. The demo tape and their incendiary live performances garnered rave reviews both locally and nationally, with the the Outpatients being referred to as one of the most brutalizing bands of the period and one of the first bands to introduce the punk/metal crossover sound. Several studio sessions throughout 1983-1985 yielded a handful of compilation cuts and demos, but never a full length record.
This LP collects 16 tracks from those recordings — the majority of which have never been released on vinyl — newly remastered by NYHC legend Don Fury. Also included is a 12"x24" poster insert with lyrics, rare photos and flyers, and extensive liner notes by xXx fanzine editor Mike Gitter.
Our take: Painkiller Records brings us a retrospective release from this 80s / 90s hardcore / metal band from Western Massachusetts. You might have heard of the Outpatients if you’re a big US hardcore nerd, but since they never got out a stand-alone vinyl release during their hardcore era, they’re relegated to being known by the people nerdy enough to remember how ripping their contributions to the Bands That Could Be God compilation are. Readmitted brings together tracks from what sounds like several recording sessions (it’s not clear which tracks come from which sessions, which is frustrating), all of them no-frills affairs from a production standpoint, but showcasing the band’s wide range as songwriters and obvious power as players. In terms of style, the songs on Readmitted run the gamut from tracks like “Cover Girl,” which is pure 80s US hardcore, to more metallic, crossover-tinged songs like “Backwards Birthday” (these more metallic tracks remind me of our North Carolina heroes Subculture), to post-punk-tinged tracks like “Light Blue” that sound a bit like October File-era Die Kreuzen. Some of these songs are so different that they almost sound like different bands, and you could chop Readmitted into to three separate records with totally different styles, all of them very good for what they are. One of those records would sound like a lost X-Claim! release, another could fit in with low-budget cult 80s metal bands like Medieval or At War (shout out Virginia Beach), and a third might sound like a band trying to get signed to Homestead Records. Despite the stylistic breadth, Readmitted hangs together based on the incredible musicianship—all three guys could tear it up—and the no-frills nature of the recordings. The recordings have a candid quality, like they just threw up some mics and let this great fucking band rip, and while some of them might have benefitted from, say, a second guitar track, I love the way they place the focus on the band’s tightness as a unit. Besides the rad, period-appropriate artwork, Readmitted also comes with an insert full of photos and flyers and an essay by Mike Gitter of XXX fanzine. Ultimately Readmitted is for the 80s US hardcore deep heads, but those of us who fall into that category will enjoy this fresh look at an underrated band who never got their due.
This LP collects 16 tracks from those recordings — the majority of which have never been released on vinyl — newly remastered by NYHC legend Don Fury. Also included is a 12"x24" poster insert with lyrics, rare photos and flyers, and extensive liner notes by xXx fanzine editor Mike Gitter.
Our take: Painkiller Records brings us a retrospective release from this 80s / 90s hardcore / metal band from Western Massachusetts. You might have heard of the Outpatients if you’re a big US hardcore nerd, but since they never got out a stand-alone vinyl release during their hardcore era, they’re relegated to being known by the people nerdy enough to remember how ripping their contributions to the Bands That Could Be God compilation are. Readmitted brings together tracks from what sounds like several recording sessions (it’s not clear which tracks come from which sessions, which is frustrating), all of them no-frills affairs from a production standpoint, but showcasing the band’s wide range as songwriters and obvious power as players. In terms of style, the songs on Readmitted run the gamut from tracks like “Cover Girl,” which is pure 80s US hardcore, to more metallic, crossover-tinged songs like “Backwards Birthday” (these more metallic tracks remind me of our North Carolina heroes Subculture), to post-punk-tinged tracks like “Light Blue” that sound a bit like October File-era Die Kreuzen. Some of these songs are so different that they almost sound like different bands, and you could chop Readmitted into to three separate records with totally different styles, all of them very good for what they are. One of those records would sound like a lost X-Claim! release, another could fit in with low-budget cult 80s metal bands like Medieval or At War (shout out Virginia Beach), and a third might sound like a band trying to get signed to Homestead Records. Despite the stylistic breadth, Readmitted hangs together based on the incredible musicianship—all three guys could tear it up—and the no-frills nature of the recordings. The recordings have a candid quality, like they just threw up some mics and let this great fucking band rip, and while some of them might have benefitted from, say, a second guitar track, I love the way they place the focus on the band’s tightness as a unit. Besides the rad, period-appropriate artwork, Readmitted also comes with an insert full of photos and flyers and an essay by Mike Gitter of XXX fanzine. Ultimately Readmitted is for the 80s US hardcore deep heads, but those of us who fall into that category will enjoy this fresh look at an underrated band who never got their due.