Photo by Ryan Rose

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard any righteous fury coming our way out of Punitive Damage, the Pac Northwest extreme hardcore band who at one moment shared some membership with Regional Justice Center, but ultimately stuck out in their own blaze to put out one of 2022’s best heavy albums with their debut full-length, This Is the Blackout. I like that each band is now on their own distinct narratives these days, with Punitive Damage’s being a timely conflagration to unleash back onto the world with “Baptism of Fire”, an early highlight off their forthcoming EP, Hate Training. Look around this world, and you’ll see apathy to bloodshed with no real attempts to stop it. Vocalist Jerkova calls it what it is. “I watch the shit spill both sides out of your mouth / Twisted, snarling maw at the suffering you make.” To all those who think they’re being tactful playing both sides, Punitive Damage’s intent to destroy is a desire to be those goons’ trial by fire.

Punitive Damage’s Hate Training will be released October 25th on Convulse Records.