Demo tape from this oi!-tinged HC band... FFO Last Rites, 86 Mentality, etc.

Our take: I don’t know anything about Austerity, but I’ll assume they hail from somewhere near their label’s headquarters in Massachusetts. Musically, they do that SOA/Last Rights-type “hardcore with a touch of oi!” thing that was super popular a few years ago, but they sound more straightforward and punk rock than the pure hardcore bands who attempt the style. Tracks like “Modernity” and “Means Test” have the same catchy, Blitz-influenced riffing style as SOA, and the former even has a simple, melodic guitar solo. Sometimes hardcore’s shouts can sound perfunctory, but not here. The vocalist sounds like Choke and/or Steve from 86 Mentality, and like them Austerity’s vocalist has a lot of energy and charisma. The final track, “Modern Slavery,” mixes things up with more off-kilter riffs and rhythms, ending the demo on a high note. While the music is tough and aggressive, this has the same youthful, fun feel of Teen Idles or (for the old SSR heads) the Pure Scum demo tape.