Straight On View – Gotta Step Up (Demo 24′)

Straight On view is a new hardcore band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that sounds like they came straight out of 1980s New York. With breakneck fast beats, grooving two step parts, and lo-fi recording quality, the band incorporates all of the charming elements of the early days of hardcore, harkening back to a simpler time for the genre.

Starting with a cracking snare count, the first song, “Don’t Push Me (Push Yourself)”, is a posicore anthem that sets the tone for what to expect from here on out—uplifting lyrics, catchy guitar solo laden mosh—the whole song is done in just over a minute. The second song is the demo’s title track, “Gotta Step Up”—a crunchy punk jam that transitions between a driving groove and a traditional fast beat.

Track three, “Vision of Blindness”, keeps the demo moving in a melodic and driving way. One of the longer songs on the release clocking in at two minutes, the song is the first opportunity for listeners to hear the band’s force with buildups, bass breaks, and a strong breakdown, followed by (you guessed it), another guitar solo, but this time over a fast beat. The next two songs—”Single Vice” and “Flipper” are both just under the two minute mark and serve the purpose of propelling Gotta Step Up forward with more intensity and speed. The breakdown of “Flipper” is so good, they had to play it twice. Very classic Youth of Today vibes with this one.

“Try Hard” begins with a welcome bass intro, followed by a build up to a catch, a breath of air before the vocals come in preaching authenticity—“Be real. Speak your mind. Believe in yourself and you won’t have to hide.” This is followed up by “Terminal World”, which is quite possibly the song that sticks out from the others most. The song is composed of a thrashing Agnostic Front type riff, showcasing a different New York sound than previously seen so far on the demo, sandwiched between a Southern California 1980s punk rock riff that serves as the intro and outro.

Gotta Step Up closes with the song “Different Strokes”, a lyrical ode to the crushing mental battle between the oneself and the distribution of their time. Kicked off by a bluesy riff that segues into a dissonant Black Flag meets dark youth crew jam, that showcases the transition between drum beats played fast on the hi-hat, booming on the floor tom, and a sweet pocket groove on the ride. This track proves that the extra seconds on this song are not there to fill space, but to make a statement as the record comes to a close.