H2O

Sick of It All and Shelter helped form the New York Hardcore sound from two different angles. From their experiences in those seminal hardcore bands, Sick of It All roadie Toby Morse and Shelter's Adam Blake shape a new, more melodic, but still blistering NY/HC style. With thick roots deep in the New York Hardcore scene, H2O are no slouches in their punk attack. A powerful, popping bassline picks up the pace on their already accelerated and incredibly catchy, sing-along Hardcore. Their songs recall the positive themes of the Straight-Edge scene in the '80s, but sidestep the preachy, holier-than-thou posturing. In addition to ideological similarities, H2O also borrow sonically from bands like the Gorilla Biscuits, who had undeniably infectious melodies.