In the crucible of Philly's punk furnace, Open City, the hardcore ensemble boasting members from various esteemed punk lineages, sets the stage ablaze with news of their latest sonic offering, "Hands in the Honey Jar," due out on October 6 under the Get Better Records banner.
This blistering collective features Rachel Rubino of Bridge & Tunnel; Dan Yemin, the versatile force behind Paint It Black, Lifetime, and Kid Dynamite; Andy Nelson, known for Ceremony and Paint It Black; and the illustrious Chris Wilson of Titus Andronicus, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and Hammered Hulls.
Their fiery announcement comes wielding the lead single, "Return Your Stolen Property is Theft," a track that ignites the scene with its potent energy and riotous fervor.
Vocalist Rubino passionately articulates, "The intent for any album this band has created has always been to put together a collection of songs that hit hard, but also touch on a wide range of creative influence. I love Hatebreed as much as I love Beyoncé as much as I love Pissed Jeans as much as I love Bikini Kill, does that give you a reference for my contribution?"
Guitarist Dan Yemin further elucidates, "From a songwriting perspective, we were looking for this record to be rendered from a more expanded palette of influences, while at the same time being more stripped-down sonically. While the band continues to exist in the context of a reverence for the basement epiphanies of the golden age of DIY hardcore punk, we were also making room for U.K. post-punk influences and some of the more hypnotic and repetitive tactics utilized by Lungfish and Unwound."
The band's sophomore endeavor, produced by Arthur Rizk, promises to be a compelling fusion of punk ethos, DIY spirit, and a medley of diverse musical influences.
Stay tuned as Open City's "Hands in the Honey Jar" unleashes a sonic storm that's as volatile as it is harmoniously explosive.