Articles Of Faith - Give Thanks Articles Of Faith

Futurismo are thrilled to present Give Thanks, the long out of press 1984 hardcore classic by Articles Of Faith. Produced by Bob Mould, and newly remastered directly from the original tapes, this powerhouse of a record is now coming on both LP and CD after being unavailable for decades.

Originally released in 1984, the debut LP Give Thanks by Chicago hardcore legends Articles Of Faith is proof a hardcore record can be both political and poetic. Fuelled by rage, introspection and a musical progression that could be seen as a blueprint for what would later become known as post-hardcore, this album ticks every box you want from a record of the era: intense, emotive, scathing, unpredictable, all topped off by the masterful production of Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü and Sugar.

Give Thanks is perhaps overlooked in many top tens of the genre, but leaving the band’s debut LP off that list would be a mistake. A demonstration in raw emotion and political angst, Give Thanks harnesses a sound that could have only happened during the Reagan era. Hardcore was of course a musical explosion built upon aggression and discontent, yet Give Thanks forcefully fuses this concept of raw power with a multitude of musical influences at a time when some of their contemporaries perhaps seemed to tread water.

Whilst the principles and sonics harnessed on AOF’s debut album may have had more in common with the sounds coming out of Washington D.C., this record has an authentic Chicago savvy running through it, effortlessly projecting a street-level tone whilst simultaneously aiming to show the possibilities of what a hardcore record could be.

In retrospect, AOF’s debut was a hardcore album ahead of its time, perhaps the reason its fervent themes and artistry still feel so fresh and relevant. Whether that’s due to Vic Bondi’s gravelly tones geared to critique the societal regime at play, or the considered guitar work aimed to both blast and texturize, or the intense drum rhythms inspired by jazz and dub, there is a depth to the final album that feels like a band testing their parameters. One listen to Every Man For Himself and you know you are listening to something special.

Familiarity and originality rarely cross over, but in this case they coexist to leave us with a forward-thinking punk record that is more interested in shouting its emotions from the street than it is screaming into a vacuum. A true American hardcore record, and a must for fans of Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains and Fugazi.