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Turnstile – US Hardcore that dares to dream
Foto: Elektra Music Group Press/ Jimmy Fontaine
US hardcore goes a long way back to the late 70s of the last century, and mostly this style of music was coined in California and Washington D.C. by bands like the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains and many more. Another name for hardcore, or the detailed genre designation, is simply hardcore punk, since it is rooted in punk and is a much faster and more aggressive play style than its predecessor, coupled with frenetic energy of all involved and sometimes brutal live shows.
An important component that almost all bands within the genre have in common is the positive, life-affirming attitude, and hardly any modern band of US hardcore exudes this energy as infectiously as Turnstile. The band consists of Brandan Yates on vocals, Brady Ebert and Pat McCrory on guitars, Franz Lyons on bass and Daniel Fang on drums.
The band was founded in 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland and has since released 3 full studio albums and various singles and Eps. "Glow On", the third album from 2021 catapulted the five-member group completely into the spotlight.
Turnstile – Dream Punk
What makes Turnstile so special that they have become one of the most renowned acts of the entire US hardcore punk scene, including various appearances on US television, like a performance at Jimmy Kimmel, one of the big late night talk show hosts? Singer Brendan Yates' voice immediately comes up as an answer option, as his vocals immediately stand out from other hardcore shouters as they are quite distinguished.
In the creative phase of US hardcore, a certain formula was found, which defines the vocals for this kind of music: Abrasive and harsh, with a lot of anger and frustration that has accumulated over time. However, this form of singing has a big limitation, which would be one-sidedness. Too many hardcore singers put a lot of value on sounding both battered and indignant, but often at the expense of a character of their own, the recognition value.
Brendan Yates from Turnstile is the antithesis to the cliché that all hardcore bands always have the same-sounding singers. He playfully combines melody and aggression in his voice through their entire discography whilst keeping the lyrics enunciated as comprehensibly as possible.
Meanwhile, the band dubs their music Dream Punk, which has been absolutely apt and representative not only since the release of "Glow On", but the dreamlike potential has been evident since the beginning of Turnstile's career and is not completely out of the blue.
From the first EP "Pressure To Succeed" (2011) to the first long player, "Nonstop Feeling" (2015), straight pop sensitivities emerge occasionally in the mix, only to immediately escape the ear canals.
Even at the earlier career of Turnstile, the pop and rock influences already came together with the hardcore punk foundation, without being unpleasant or even annoying, but rather smoothly fitting into the overall structure.
Traditional fans of classic rock and pop will satisfy their itches with Turnstile, as well as die-hard punk veterans, which is evident in the comment columns of several YouTube videos where fans from all walks of life gush over the band's skill to pair the spirit of the 80s with a modern aesthetic.
Turnstile – An own niche within Hardcore
Lyrically, Turnstile remain quite conservative for hardcore conditions, because as it is usual in this genre of music, the lyrics are quite concise and mostly tell personal tales about introspective insights and life-affirming messages, not long, overblown metaphysical treatises on the human condition.
The spice of this brevity lies in the immensely dynamic and engaging performance of Brendan Yates, who alternates between powerful, harmonious clean vocals and hardcore typical shouts, taking on a character entirely his own and encouraging the audience to dream. On the instrumental side, the guitars charge forward with punky glee and maintain the fast and aggressive hardcore DNA, only to suddenly come up with rocky and dreamy guitar parts that seamlessly integrate into the fabric of Turnstile.
One appropriate term for the novel niche formed by Turnstile´s style would be genre-fluid hardcore, which will influence the shape of things to come in the hardcore scene in the future; the formula to which the five-member troupe has committed is simply too innovative.
Turnstile – Keep Glowing On
With their third album, “Glow On”, Turnstile completely lifted the veil of obscurity and went on to embark to top international music charts, got pole positions on various album-of-the-year lists and exposed themselves to the general public with performances on renowned talk shows. Turnstile culminate their playfulness and establish themselves as pioneers of a niche of their own, Dream Punk, on about 35 minutes of playing time, divided into 15 tracks.
The timing for this invitation to dream could not have been better with the summer of 2021, when the world was already changed radically. The quintet fires on all cylinders and creates a unique hardcore experience on "Glow On", which needs to be heard in order to fully grasp it. Songs such as the opener "Mystery" or follow-up track "Blackout" go straight for the throat and make every hardcore fan´s heart beat faster, while "Underwater Boi" almost completely banishes the distorted guitars into the background in favor of Dream Pop vibes without coming across as being forced and tacky.
The record is brimming with imagination and skillfully balances diverse genre influences such as Shoegaze, Alternative Rock, Post-Punk and even Samba to form an overall homogeneous work.
Punk hymns for a new world have been immortalized with "Glow On" and it remains exciting where the journey for Turnstile will be headed from now on. If one observes the entire discography from start to finish, then this innovative style does not suddenly come out of nowhere, but has already been subtly woven in from the beginning, only to mature over time and find its premature creative climax on "Glow On".
Every cog in the machinery sits in place and offers further rewards with each additional listen. "Glow On" joins the major ranks of defining third albums of performers. After this colossal success, it is up to Turnstile whether and how they will deal with the newly generated hype and continue their path. They have pulled the trick of reinvigorating the dusty hardcore scene and inspiring old and new fans alike. A profitable formula lies in Turnstile´s hands and if the path of "Glow On" is further tread upon, then it is simply a dream.
They have accomplished the feat of creating something of their own and breathing new life into the dusty hardcore scene, inspiring old and new fans alike. A winning formula is in Turnstile's hands and if the path of "Glow On" continues, it is a dream, pure and simple.
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Originally published on October 7, 2022, updated on February 3, 2023
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