Hardcore: Slutbomb, Body Farm, Cemetery Girl, M.D.O.P., Porcupine, Gut Gash, Lava (In Corktown).
Slutbomb at Metropolis Cycles 03/29/2025. All photos courtesy of Paul Holstein.
Tonight we were back in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood. In one direction was the newly renovated train station, and in the other was the Motor City Casino. The Detroit skyline was so close that it looked like we could walk over to the Renaissance Center (but it's actually more likely a short drive). Just down the block from last week's venue (The Corktown Tavern), where we caught Half Dizzy and The Boy Detective, was Metropolis Cycles. It's a bicycle shop, but tonight it was hosting a hardcore show.
Corktown’s Metropolis Cycles
We got there early and hungry, so the first stop was Grandma Bob's for a deep-dish double mushroom white pizza. It was amazing and just half a block down from the venue. We also took a quick walk around Corktown to check out some of the sights and take a few photos. I'm actually from the suburbs, about an hour outside of Detroit, and this was only the second time I'd been to a recent show in Corktown (a couple of years back I did go to some shows at P.J.’s Lager House in Corktown, which included Reagan Youth before Paul Bakija passed away).
It was $15-$25 to get in, based on what you could afford. I threw in $20 to also save some cash for merch (there was a lot of it). The music started with Detroit’s Lava. I see Mac McMayhem at nearly every important hardcore show in Detroit, and I've talked to him a dozen times. This is the first time that I'd seen the band that he plays with, and part of the reason I was there early was to make sure not to miss them. As with every other band that would play on this bill, this was solid hardcore that inspired a mosh pit and two-step, crowd killing, slamming mayhem (like his name). Mac's son Lars is the singer (screamer), and he gave his dad a few shout-outs during the set before jumping into the pit for nearly the rest of the night. I didn't find any formal releases for Lava, but they did have a song, "Punk Cat," on the recent "Let Them Eat Coneys" 7" (all Detroit bands; I covered the record release party a few months back).
Gut Gash at Metropolis Cycles.
Gut Gash was up next, self-described "Death Thrash" from Pittsburgh. I would say that they took the stage, but there was no stage - the bands were set up in a corner that had bike frames hanging over their heads with brick walls in the background. The singer wore a mask that reminded me of seeing Nekrogoblikon the prior year at Riot Fest, and the guitarist was covered in tattoos (nearly 100% of his body) and had a booth in the back for his homemade leather (spiked belts, collars, etc.). They played death metal-inspired hardcore, and the crowd only got more energetic. Gut Gash has a 4-song cassette on Bandcamp that can be downloaded for free. With songs like "Fuck Me In The Ass With A Chainsaw," you can guess that this is not family-friendly music.
Porcupine is "Chicago Freak Hardcore," according to the flyer, obviously from Chicago. If you are into hardcore/powerviolence, these guys are great. You can find their "Everything Is Vapor" (2024) full-length on Bandcamp or on vinyl.
This was a record release party for the M.D.O.P./Cemetery Girl split single ("Asymmetrical Warfare"). You can download it on Bandcamp if you can't find a physical copy. There are 4 songs by M.D.O.P. (Malicious Destruction Of Property) and 3 from Cemetery Girl, and they all rage. I'll be doing a review of the record in an upcoming record review article. The lead singer/guitarist of M.D.O.P. had a sticker on his guitar that said "Fuck Peace," which I wondered about, and it turns out that it's a song on the EP.
Body Farm from Ohio did a split 7" with Slutbomb and recently toured with them, so it makes sense that they were on the same bill. They are also both female-fronted, raging hardcore bands. Body Farm had some sound bites before a few songs, the guitarist helped out on vocals at key points, and it worked well. This morning I have been jamming their "Living Hell" 8-song cassette, and I think I like them even more now.
Slutbomb from Cincinnati, Ohio, was last to play and was easily the standout from this show. I recently reviewed their "Attentater" release, which I really liked and first brought them to my attention. They opened with my favorite track from that release, "Vortex," and never let up for their full set. Just check out this video from the show, and then go see them the next time they come to your area. Great show, great venue, great weekend!
Catch the next M.D.O.P. show at The Sanctuary on 6/27/2025 with Vigilante, The Sissy Boys, and Weekend Nachos. I’ll see you in the pit!
