UK punks Grade 2 have announced that their next release will be self-titled and released via Hellcat Records on 17th February 2023.
Mark your calendars people- a highly anticipated release from Isle of Wight’s favourite punk sons has a release date and it is one you do not want to miss!
Their most representative work yet, the record is a thumping fifteen track tour-de-force melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity, and frustrations of Gen-Z youth, authentically told by three lads with punk coursing through their veins.
To give you a taste of what’s to come, the band are also sharing a new video for ‘Under the Streetlight’ ahead of the album’s release. The high-energy track with a spirited, hopeful melody comes with a feel-good video that praises the power of community. The band comments:
“Even though there are times when life can feel stagnant or things aren’t going to plan, there will always be people there to support you whether it’s mates, a partner, or your family.”
50 years after the genre turned the music world upside-down, UK based Grade 2 are carrying the torch for a new punk generation. United by a love of old-school punk, ska and oi, childhood friends Sid Ryan (vocals, bass), Jacob Hull (drums) and Jack Chatfield (guitar, vocals) formed the band at fourteen years old, honing their craft playing The Clash and The Jam covers before refining their own sound.
With an album and EP already under their belts, and a string of popular singles including their October release ‘Brassic’ (also taken from the upcoming album) the band have developed an enthusiastic, loyal following.
Grade 2 spit out blistering punk music laced with passion, angst, humor and despair. With a commitment to the cause, the album’s lead single ‘Doing Time’ is a thunderous hardcore punk track screaming “Spoon feed me corporate lies; I left that place with a noose to my neck.” Frontman Sid Ryan explains:
“Like everyone else, 2020 left us proper fucked off. Yet we were able to channel every ounce of that despair into every second of this record.”
What results is a bone-crunching 35-minutes that agitates, intoxicates and liberates in equal measure. The trio is famed for blistering live performances and exceptional musicianship, and they have successfully packaged the essence of their live show in the limited format of an album.
This is a record to rattle your bones, stir your heart and have you singing till you’re hoarse like it’s the first day of punk!
‘Grade 2’ will be released via Hellcat Records on 17th February 2023. Keep your eyes peeled for more information and a review in the new year!
Go see Grade 2 live on tour at the following UK gigs in 2023. Tickets available now.
7th March, 2023 – The Lexington, London
10th March, 2023 – Louisiana, Bristol
18th March, 2023 – Classic Grand, Glasgow
19th March, 2023 – Star & Garter, Manchester
Follow Grade 2 On Their Socials
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I’m Molly Tie- I Love punk! I play drums (badly), write a lot about punk (not as badly) and I’m particularly interested in issues relating to women in the music scene.
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