Heavy Discipline – Your Scapegoat
Pittsburgh's Heavy Discipline deliver 'heavier discipline' with their latest LP, featuring seven tracks of no-nonsense, old-school USHC in its best tradition.
In October 2022, Pittsburgh’s own Heavy Discipline unleashed a raw four-song promo tape, hinting at what was to come in their new LP for Painkiller Records. Along the two tracks from the upcoming release, they added two extra songs. This included a cover of the Buzzcocks’ “You Tear Me Up” (arguably the first d-beat song ever created), which they uniquely made their own. Fast forward to a year later, Your Scapegoat is finally out, solidifying Heavy Discipline’s place as one of the most compelling old-school USHC acts around.
Comprising members from other notable Pittsburgh hardcore bands like Hounds of Hate, Concealed Blade, Blood Pressure, and tons more, Heavy Discipline distinctively blend the first-wave Boston hardcore sound, reminiscent of SSD, DYS, and The F.U.’s with the burlier UK-inspired vibes of NYHC legends like Life’s Blood and The Abused. Heavy Discipline’s production even captures the essence of that era, yet steers clear of sounding like a mere homage.
Your Scapegoat packs a punch in its concise duration, delivering seven tracks that evolve the sound Heavy Discipline established in their 2020 self-titled album. While these latest offerings may not match the pace of their previous work, they make up for it with more substantial riffs and a grittier edge. This LP includes familiar tracks like “Loud and Proud” and “Lost” from their 2022 promo tape, along with fast, hard-hitting numbers such as “Farce,” “Your Fault,” and “Fit The Mold,” each exemplifying the stomping, no-frills, SSD-influenced hardcore that defines their style.
For the purist listener of no-nonsense hardcore punk, indifferent to current trends and bullshit hypes, Your Scapegoat is a throwback to the golden era of US hardcore, radiating a sense of urgency and excitement that is hard to replicate. With releases like Heavy Discipline’s Your Scapegoat and Pittsburgh’s No Time delivering Suffer No Fool —arguably the best American Oi! record of the year—the city proves to be a breeding ground for bands that nail both the sound and spirit of the classics the way it has to be.
