Considering the varying career of Ceremony — from grind to hardcore to punk to post-punk and all stops in between — drawing any similarities to the Bay Area band can be a tough proposition. And while Anthony Anzaldo may be the guitarist for Ceremony, he has stepped into frontman position for Ex Youth — his new project that only mirrors Ceremony in one crucial way: its sense of urgency.
That imperative is all over the first single, "Mute," from the group's debut seven-inch Oakland Intervention, which also features Tobia (vocalist of Look Back And Laugh) on bass and Valeriano Saucedo (of Punch, Loma Prieta) on drums.
This furious hardcore track is made even more incendiary when paired with its protest-themed video, which features tense shots of tear gas deployed on civilians, cops wielding night sticks and more.
Musically, "Mute" is hardcore punk through-and-through — seemingly dealing with standing your ground and speaking your convictions loud and proud. Starting with a simple guitar chord progression, Anzaldo lays out the scenario: "I cant begin to explain, how I am so afraid." From there, the tension builds until the main riff kicks in around 20 second in — a cascading, almost thrashy section that will inspire you to rush into the nearest pit. As the verse begins to build tension and fury, Ex Youth switch things up again into another positively nasty breakdown which carries the song out.
Check it out above for the first time, and preorder your copy via Deathwish Inc. Look for the LP on Jawk Records on September 3rd.
