NOTE: Our current stock copies are on yellow vinyl.

Once, long ago, there was hardcore, and it was good. Since then, we’ve largely had to settle for pale imitation. But at occasional intervals, in different places around the world, small groups of attentive, motivated people have come together and made music that does justice to hardcore as it was when it mattered. Grand Scheme out of Washington, DC, is the real deal. You take the breakneck speed of The Abused and the general aural violence of Negative Approach, and you add plainspoken lyrics that express genuine anger and alienation with nuance and humor. Sounds simple. It’s not. Listen to the competition from the past couple of decades. It’s terrible. But in early 2025, at last, we have a good one. Grand Scheme isn’t aiming for posterity or eminence; the band members don’t need plaudits or acclaim. But they deserve to be heard for being the rarest thing: a real hardcore band — driven with real urgency and by real emotion — that exists today, right now, when we need it. Listen to the new record and go see them live, while you can.

Our take: 11PM brings us the second 7” from this DC band with a strong NYHC influence. Grand Scheme is adept at playing several different styles within the NYHC / straight edge milieu, with “Think Twice” kicking off the record with a blistering thrill ride of Straight Ahead-style rippage, “Counter Culture” and “Click Buy Consume” sounding like outtakes from the New Breed compilation, “Outlook” leaning toward more melodic youth crew a la In My Eyes, and “Marketing Budget” wrapping up the EP with a heavier take on youth crew a la Floorpunch. Grand Scheme also reminds me of their hometown heroes 86 Mentality on “Black Blox,” which has a driving beat and a chorus where the vocals lock in with the drums playing big, dramatic punches, which I’m always a sucker for. While all these styles are a little different, Grand Scheme is adept at all of them and makes them sound cohesive, aided by an excellent recording that’s clear but with the perfect amount of grit. A total ripper, and pretty much exactly what you want from a retro-style 7-song hardcore EP.