Photo by Travis Shinn

The brutalism behind American Nightmare has changed shapes since Wes Eisold resurrected his long-dormant hardcore project in the early 2010s. A reunion album in 2018 reigned in some of the band’s more explosive dynamic in favor of razorbladed punk. “Self Check-Out”, the first single from a forthcoming EP, Dedicated to the Next World, returns to outward fury, but in another evolved state for Eisold and company. Energy is compressed behind distortion-hissed production and manic drum machines blast through as the frontman yells, “And the bridges burn! / And the money burns! / And the Bibles burn! / And we never learn!” It keeps hardcore weird and life haywired.

American Nightmare’s Dedicated to the Next World will be released June 2nd on Heartworm Press.