the NEW MORALITY 003
Photo by Will Lezma @lezmavisions
Welcome back to the NEW MORALITY newsletter! It hasn’t been long since we last checked in, but in the music world, a week can feel like a year. To add to the whirlwind, I'm thrilled to announce the debut LP from Brampton, Canada’s MILE END. Just moments before writing this, I had a call with frontman Jake Thompson, where we discussed their recent “concert-level” shows with The Dirty Nil, the band Single Mothers' support of Mile End, the pitfalls of bad hardcore music videos, and the strange experience of mass-emailing people in hopes they'll check out your music.
One thing Jake said really resonated with me: “people seem ready for it.” In today’s fast-paced music culture, what does it mean for people to be "ready"? Are they simply excited to hear it, only to move on to the next release a week later? For Mile End, the LP isn’t just about the music. It’s a chance to spotlight their friends and their creative community. When Jake says “people seem ready for it,” he’s referring to the word of mouth buzz around the band and the collective effort behind this release—a true HC undertaking.
The LP officially drops on streaming platforms on November 15, with pre-orders opening tomorrow. As a thank-you to all our loyal NMZ readers, you can use the code 'NMZEARLY' to secure a copy in advance here.
news
We have stayed busy over the last couple of weeks and have some highlights of cool shit in the event that you missed it.
NMZ HC
SI DIOS QUIERE and MILE END have become fast (international) friends, and their connection actually started with a show I booked in Chicago. Ever since that first gig, every time MILE END has played Chicago, SI DIOS QUIERE right there, and the support between both bands has been so sick to see.
Now, with both debut LPs out, you might be curious about the timing. It wasn’t initially planned this way, but when I saw a chance for NMZ to release two hardcore records back-to-back, I took it. My goal was to see these rising bands keep pushing each other and showing that same mutual support.
Beyond the records, they’ve lined up joint record release shows across the U.S. and Canada, with each band supporting the other. And more shows to be announced.
DOWNWARD has been busy….
We get asked about DOWNWARD all the time—questions like, “When’s the LP coming?” and “Are they going on tour?” It’s no surprise, considering how great they are. One thing I've learned is that DOWNWARD moves at their own pace, but I've got some good news: they've been hard at work on new music.
If you've caught them live recently, you might've heard them test out a few new songs. Check out this video of an unreleased track called “Absolute Value,” recorded by Kevin Contreras during their short run with SUPERHEAVEN, GLARE, and BLEED this summer.
TOUCH HEAVEN
Speaking of new….Spread the word.
GUEST ON VIOLENT TREATMENT
I recently had the pleasure of joining local hardcore head and music writer Hugo, along with his fellow journalist and co-host Eli, on their podcast, Violent Treatment. It was a blast, and our conversation was fueled by the discussions here on this substack and our usual chats at shows. I had a great time. Be sure to check out the episode and explore the podcast’s other episodes for a heap of hardcore talk and guest spotlights.
Listen here.
back-catalog
We've had this one on heavy rotation lately. Metalcore has been huge over the last year, and while there’s plenty of good, bad, and everything in between, a lot of it doesn’t quite hit the mark for me. I like it raw, dirty, aggressive, and with a bit of that “smart guy” edge. So when I first heard COLONIAL WOUND’s unique blend of Deadguy, Unwound, and sludgy, metallic noise, I was immediately hooked.
We were excited to work with them to release their 2021 EP, Degradation. It's a real NMZ gem—if you haven’t heard it yet, we highly recommend checking it out. Three intense tracks of gritty, pummeling hardcore at its finest.
Listen here. Anyone need a copy of this record?
store summary
You can now pre-order copies of two major releases—SI DIOS QUIERE’s No Angels LP and MILE END’s self-titled LP—both available alongside limited shirts.
Also, if you listen to our episode on Violent Treatment, you’ll hear us talk a lot about DIME. We flew through our exclusive blue variant of their EP, but we still have copies on black, along with a few shirts. Grab something!
random thoughts
This is hands-down my favorite part of the newsletter. I can’t promise you’ll feel the same, but it’s been awesome to connect with everyone through this.
Holy hell, it’s November 3rd—which means… no, not that mess of election season… but that “Best of 2024” season is right around the corner. I have mixed feelings on these lists. On one hand, I’m not a fan when they just rehash the same dozen things over and over. But on the other, I love looking back on the year and remembering the things that truly hit home for me. Anyone else have a love/hate thing with these? I’ve been mentally crafting my own “Best Live Band of 2024” list for a while now. Any guesses who’s on it?
I had a chance to check out Loud Pizza Records in Highland Park, Illinois, last weekend. I found it through an Instagram post, and it had a great vibe—cool but not overly “pizza-themed,” and super organized. With a well-curated mix of new records and wall gems (Warzone, Modern Life is War, Saves The Day), it felt more like a boutique than an overwhelming record store. Sadly, they announced they’re closing down in December due to low foot traffic. A tough reminder of the fragility of physical media, but I’m grateful I got to visit.
Here’s a question for you all: does the average music listener care about who’s producing a record, or is that just for obsessive music nerds like me?
As always - thanks for reading and listening,
-Nick