Subversive Intent: S/T 12"

Subversive Intent: S/T 12” (Rebirth Records) Rebirth Records brings us the debut LP from San Diego’s Subversive Intent. If you listen to the hardcore punk podcast 185 Miles South, you probably know about Subversive Intent already because that podcast’s host Zack plays guitar in the band. That’s relevant info because Subversive Intent pulls together a lot of threads that get talked about on 185, where it’s even money whether they’ll be repping Anti-Cimex, Madball, or Negative Approach at any given moment. Compositionally, Subversive Intent’s songs are grounded in the early 80s hardcore classics, with primarily fast rhythms, lots of d-beats, and riffs steeped in Discharge. The label’s description references Battalion of Saints, and I hear that influence in a lot of Subversive Intent’s riffing… just check out the opening part of the song “Subversive Intent,” which besides that killer opening riff has the album’s hookiest chorus. But while this record takes a lot from early 80s hardcore and d-beat, I also hear things that remind me of late 80s and early 90s hardcore: a couple of big breakdowns, the singer’s youth crew-ish shouted vocals, and some metallic lead guitar flourishes. The production is also tighter and more contained than a lot of modern d-beat. It sounds great (mixed and mastered by Ricky Olson, who did the Ultimate Disaster LP whose sound everyone, including me, raved about), but Subversive Intent doesn’t get into the fizzy, fried tones of, say, Destruct or Public Acid. With 10 tracks in about 12 minutes, this one flies by with the speed and energy of the classic 45rpm 12”s from the 80s we all know and love. Totally ripping.