awakening - demo 1992

(not to be confused with the more recent awakening, from here in columbus, oh)

an historical document in it's own right, a hardcore demo from a band in hazleton, pa back in 1992.  i always wondered what type of underground music happened there before this era, if any.  i mean there had to be something, right?  i completely remember seeing alleyway graffiti there when i was just a wee lad that read PUNK OUT! in red spraypaint on a white wall just behind the main street downtown.  years later when i was a skaterat punker, i would sometimes see this mob of older goth punks that used to hang out, but i was too shy to talk to them.

we always used to laugh about how hazleton was 20 years behind the times with everything, and if hardcore began in 1982, then i would say that this demo from 1992 was way ahead of it's time!!  pioneers of mob city hardcore?  who knows.  i was friends with all the kids in this band, was there when they recorded this demo at the unisound in reading, pa, and always helped drive equipment to the shows.  i'm not sure if the band even lasted more than a summer.  i only remember there being less than a handful of shows and then the band was no more.  such was the fate of most NEPA hc/punk bands from back in the day.

i think there was a big oi! influence in this band, especially with the more melodic edge and gruff vocals.  i think the bruisers were a favourite at the time.  for what it's worth, hardcore existed in hazleton, pa in 1992.  this is a document.

awakening - demo [cassette rip]
http://lix.in/-22514f
mp3 320kbps VBR [30.36MB]

01 shrug
02 rise
03 pale embrace
04 crazy
05 social prejudice