Philly’s own aggressive crust unit, Cop Problem recently celebrated a hometown record release with label-mates Enabler, and regional talents Outer Heaven, Occult 45, and Population Zero, presented by Joe Hardcore & Philly Hardcore Shows booking group. This Monday night show was moved last minute to The Black Box in Philly’s Underground Arts venue and marked the closing dates of a Cop Problem / Enabler regional tour run to The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, with Enabler continuing down the East Coast afterwards.
Cop Problem‘s latest EP, Buried Beneath White Noise, was released digitally at the end of 2013, now seeing a vinyl version on The Compound label in the US and Prejudice Me Records in Europe. Pitchfork, who debuted the closing track, “American Spring,” commented “Philadelphia hardcore quartet Cop Problem are yet another example of the U.S.’ dominance of melodic crust.. Recorded by Will Yip, who’s also handed Circa Survive and Paint It Black, Noise is four angry tracks of hardcore against complacency. Given the current state of American politics, it’s highly appropriate that they would release a song titled “American Spring.” No Gods, No Masters—even in the City of Brotherly Love.” The band is reportedly working on new material and has a series of US tour actions slated for 2014.
Milwaukee’s Enabler are currently supporting a new full-length, La Fin Absolue Du Monde, via The Compound and Creator-Destructor labels, that has seen the 3-piece unit tour near relentlessly in 2014. We recently caught up with Enabler again as passed through Philly with Ringworm and the mighty Eyehategod. That full feature will follow next, so we’re not going to get too longwinded during this portion. Suffice it to say, Enabler and Cop Problem brought the collective thunder on this evening.
BTS arrived just a hair too late to photograph Population Zero, and it’s a shame, for those of you street punk fans, there are few that do it better. PZ are no strangers to BTS however, so fear not, as we will undoubtedly feature them again soon. Rounding out the bill was Occult 45 and Outer Heaven who brought forth a blackened hardcore flavoring that was a sure crowd pleaser. Occult 45 lean more towards a sludge-drenched, angst-ridden direction. Outer Heaven too dip into the sludge pool, but also add a fair amount of metal and hints of crust. All-in-all, very solid billing.
Without further ado, enjoy a fresh batch of photos from Blow The Scene Senior Photographer Dante Torrieri (Useless Rebel Imaging)
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