Melbourne, Australia based five piece AWOL are creating hardcore for hardcore’s sake – staking their claim in the genre with their debut album Tear ‘Em To Bits, due out April 26th on Flatspot Records and Last Ride Records in Australia. Following 2021’s AWOL EP, the nine songs on Tear ‘Em To Bits build on the band’s monstrous sound, filled with gruff vocals, groove-driven riffs, and meaty breakdowns. Today the band share gut-punching title track “Tear ‘Em To Bits” with an equally hard-hitting live performance music video. You can watch the video HERE and stream the track HERE.
Formed in 2020 during the height of pandemic lockdowns, the five members who would form AWOL were driven to create and write music almost out of necessity. Once they were ready to emerge, the timing was perfect as the Australia hardcore scene was experiencing serious growth. AWOL soon found themselves playing shows with Speed, Iron Mind, No Apologies, and on a country wide run supporting No Pressure in early 2022.
AWOL hit the recording studio in Melbourne over the course of 2023, where the band captured their love of classic hardcore in its purest form on the upcoming Tear ‘Em To Bits. Drawing from bands like Madball and Biohazard, AWOL pack an intense aggression across the record. The lyrics are punishing, covering everything from deception and failed relationships to addressing drug addiction and police brutality.
With Tear ‘Em To Bits, proves that AWOL has earned a seat at the table as one of the most compelling new bands in the genre they love. As the band simply states: “The only goal was to make a good hardcore record that we were proud of and that our friends could get behind.”
Tear ‘Em To Bits is available for preorder now through Flatspot Records.
AWOL is Christian Schultz (vocals), Mike Williams (guitar/vocals), Otis T Bennie (guitar/vocals) Pat Shanahan (drums) and Pablo Barnes (bass).
