Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Last Gasp is a ripping fast hardcore band from Cleveland Ohio. Featuring ex members of Ohio hardcore and punk royalty like Wreak Havoc, Lawskof, Dismantle, and Dark Spring, Last Gasp’s energy is infectious and their message is powerful.
Last Gasp began their new album “Second Wave”, when Covid-19 hit and the world stopped. “We worked very hard on this record.” explains vocalist Ryan Hardwick, “Most of these songs were written before the quarantine with studio dates booked but when the shut down went into effect all of our shows and recording time were cancelled. After a month and a half of self quarantining we decided to record these songs ourselves to stay productive and also because we all felt so angry and anxious.”
Hardwick channeled that anger and anxiousness into his lyrical content. A biting examination of current events. “The extra time and the state of the world help mold the lyrical content of the album.” Hardwick says, “I had time to really sit and write the songs the way I felt necessary after watching the news every night and feeling such a deep sorrow for the world effected by the coronavirus. Besides burning anxiety not knowing how things would play out I also felt a burning hatred toward our President for his mishandling of the situation. It truly blows my mind that people can stand behind such a narcissistic monster.”
Last Gasp began to figure out a plan to release the album post Covid-19 when the world abruptly changed again, this time with the murder of George Floyd by the Police and the subsequent protests and riots. “The original goal was to release these songs with a label to help distro and press a physical copy but after watching the video of another senseless murder on a black man at the hands of law enforcement plans changed.”
The songs and lyrical content are so unbelievably current that the band felt it necessary to release and stream the new record immediately. “George our drummer was at the protest and saw first hand how nightmarish the scene was. Cops macing and swinging billy clubs on innocent and peaceful protesters. It had such an effect on him he got home and wanted to put the record out to help any way we could.”
Second Wave is streaming on all platforms and available for donation through lastgaspoh.bandcamp.com, with 100% of all proceeds being donated to Black Lives Matter Cleveland. “We will never know the pain that the black community feels for this constant loss but we are allies and friends and we hope to help raise some money and spotlight inequality. If our little nobody punk rock band can change one person’s mind or donate a few hundred dollars to righteous movements to stop hate, well then we’ve done our job. Viva la revolution.”
Last Gasp plays fast manic hardcore for fans of old Ceremony, Afi, Comeback Kid, and Mental.
