![]() Most of the guitarists on this list are featured because they melded sounds that previously weren’t considered to be complementary, and Allen was certainly one of the prime example of this. Known chiefly for his work in three bands-Struggle, Unbroken, and Swing Kids-Allen and his small body of work have had a large influence. Starting with Moss Icon, Joy used a stock '85 Japanese Squier Stratocaster, through a ‘70s MXR distortion+, a Marshall JMP 1987 head, and an ‘80s Peavey cabinet with four Celestion 12" speakers.Įric Allen’s impact on hardcore punk was brief, cut short by his tragic suicide in 1998. Malat’s grinding, drawn out basslines repeated to the point of becoming trancelike, giving Joy’s guitar even more space to writhe and contort. While UOA were maybe not the first to do it, they were definitely one of the best.įollowing the dissolution of UOA, Joy and Malat went on to form The Great Unraveling (later, Headley would also join the band), which took the UOA template and stretched it further. It was a style that was mimicked frequently throughout the following decade. This set a solid foundation over which Joy’s guitar could soar, incorporating legato single-note passages, blocky octave chords, and dissonant double stops. Their songs were crafted around the rhythmic interplay of drummer Brooks Headley and bassist Anthony Scott Malat. Known for their chaotic and brief live sets, the band eschewed chord progressions and changes for riffs and repetition. Currently, Joy plays with Rogue Conjurer.įorming in 1992, UOA condensed everything that was great about Tonie Joy’s playing into short bursts of tightly coiled fury. But because they broke up in ’91, we’ll focus on Joy’s next two projects, the equally influential Universal Order of Armageddon and the criminally underrated The Great Unraveling. Moss Icon’s own discography ran the gamut from fast punk to contemplative epics-like the 11-minute "Lyburnum Wit’s End Liberation Fly"-and their impact on ‘90s punk music is undeniable. Joy filled the sole guitar slot in genre-defining outfits like Lava, Universal Order of Armageddon (UOA), The Great Unraveling, and The Convocation Of…, while still finding time to also pick up a bass for the final lineup of agit-punks Born Against. Starting in the latter half of the ‘80s with Maryland experimental punk outfit Moss Icon, Tonie Joy cut a swath of innovative, near-psychedelic, post-punk-inflected guitar through to the following decade. Let us know in the comments who else should be mentioned. The constraints of space meant we had to pick who were, in our opinion, some of the standouts of the era. This is not to discount amazing music made by women, people of color, and international punks during this time. Either new generations of kids are discovering the work of some amazing artists, or those of us old enough to have taken part are finally wresting control of the coffee table book and online think-piece industry.Įither way, it’s a great time to showcase some of the decade’s most iconic players, their sounds, and their rigs.Ī note on inclusivity: Despite the progressive politics of much of the scene, it was overwhelmingly white, male, and based in the U.S., and this is reflected in the players we are focusing on today. ‘90s hardcore in all of its forms-from basketball singlet-clad, vegan, straight-edge mosh to pensive, brooding emo-is having something of a resurgence in popularity of late. ![]() A time where bands simultaneously got faster and slower, heavier and softer, and DIY ethics were embraced wholeheartedly by so many young punks. It conjures up memories and impressions of a time when the foundations made by American hardcore punk bands in the ‘80s were expanded upon, throwing open the gates to a myriad set of wider influences. ![]() But still, for many people who like their guitar music loud and aggressive, the term evokes certain stylistic cues. The term "‘90s hardcore" is one of those nebulous classifications that group together a range of different scenes and communities and define them by a common aesthetic and purpose, despite what the participants may have actually felt about each other.Įven the small number of bands on this list are wildly different from each other. ![]()
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