Debut from Bristol hardcore greats Rank, featuring members of Grand Collapse, Agnosy, etc. Vinyl out on Scene Report Records.Our take: Brave New Lows is the debut ripper from this fast hardcore band from Bristol, England. While Bristol’s entry in the punk encyclopedia focuses on the glue-doused 80s bands like Chaos UK and Disorder, Rank seems to take most of their inspiration from 80s American hardcore, with brisk tempos and dramatic, punchy rhythms descended from Poison Idea’s family tree. The vocals are a little more shredded and screamy, which might be why I’ve seen Hellnation’s name show up in a couple of blurbs about the band, but the music to me is pure mid-period P.I., with a tight performance, a big guitar sound, and big riffs to match. The songwriting and performances are solid and the production is powerful without being slick, making Brave New Lows an excellent hardcore punk record.
