There was some discussion here when the earlier singles for this album came out, so I figured it was worth posting the full album now that's out (as of today, September 5).

https://ladispute.bandcamp.com/album/no-one-was-driving-the-car

Have you listened yet? What do you think? Standout songs? What did you think of the rollout for this album? (If you're unaware, the band released nearly the full album, except for the final two songs, over the past several months. They essentially released each "chapter" in the story of the album as individual EPs or singles.)

For me, this is miles better than PANORAMA was, and I'm glad that I held off on listening to anything after Environmental Catastrophe Film was released until this full album drop. I sort of hated the rollout for that, but I also think I understand why they did it.

I don't think it tops Rooms of the House, but it's absolutely among the band's top three (with Wildlife being the third in that mix). It really does feel like a mashup of the urgency/aggression of Wildlife and the artistry of Rooms of the House, and brings in some of the band's spoken word releases as well.

Environmental Catastrophe Film is the best song on the record, but that was going to be hard to beat because it may be the band's best song in general -- certainly their best song in a decade. Steve has also caught my attention each time it's come up in my play throughs.

What's happening in the hardcore scene in 2023?

I typically pose these sorts of questions to Reddit, but Tildes hasn't failed me on anything music related. We had an incredibly successful prog metal thread a couple of weeks before, and I'd love to have one on hardcore punk.

I have general questions about hardcore like:

• Who are the biggest names in hardcore of all time that still tour and write music today?
• Who are the biggest hardcore bands that have started in the last decade or less?
• In 2023, is it even useful to talk about hardcore as a distinct genre separate from metalcore anymore?
• Does any metalcore meaningfully exist in the hardcore scene? Is there any metalcore scene that embraces the punk ethic of hardcore?
• If a through-and-through hardcore band uses elements of metal in their music, are they now metalcore? Are you no longer punk if you use breakdowns?
• What should people know about the hardcore punk scene?

I don't know enough to know which of these questions are stupid or cringe, or what the best questions to ask are. Feel free to answer questions, ask questions, or share your knowledge of the scene with curious minds.

As always, I greatly appreciate your feedback!