The Dystopian Sublime of Extreme Hardcore Punk

Abstract

With roots in the 1980s and becoming a coherent trend in the 1990s, extreme hardcore punk pushed the intensity of punk music beyond previous levels with beats over 800 BPM, screamed or growled vocals, and guitar riffs built from dissonant and nondiatonic pitch material. Its lyrics often provided dystopian warnings of environmental catastrophe and humanity’s downfall due to globalized capitalism. Analysis and reception history of the music of bands such as Dropdead, His Hero Is Gone, Hellnation, and Capitalist Casualties identify the musical techniques and sublime effects of the extreme hardcore punk subgenre, also referred to as grindcore and power violence.