Photo by Dave Stauble

Right now, heroes of the Boston punk scene’s present and fast-coming future are on tour together and smashing ice along the way, as Dropkick Murphys have taken current It hardcore dudes, Haywire, along with them for their annual stretch of fun in the pit leading into their grand finale St. Patty’s Day celebration. To further mark the occasion, they’re releasing a new split, New England Forever, that’s currently only physically available on tour before it’s out in the world on — of course, as the luck of the Irish would have it, March 17th.

The listen’s got it all, from new gang vocal collaborations and originals as well as each band covering the other. Its title track falls somewhere under the former, being led by Haywire yet carrying on in the the spirit of the Murphys in its hometown pride that sounding like just the right kind of boneheaded hardcore-punk anthem you’d expect to hear when a fight breaks out between amongst a bunch of dads with degrees from Harvard, BC, and MIT at a hockey game. The line “Have you seen a place like this? / A place full of intellects / That will kick your head right in?” definitely hits its mark.

St. Patrick’s Day Tour:

Dropkick Murphy & Haywire’s New England Forever will be released March 17th on Dummy Luck Music / Play It Again Sam.