Rad is an accurate description for this hardcore band with a familiar classic feel and energetic and catchy hardcore.
Rating: 
Get Rad – What the Fuck Happened to Common Sense 12″ EP
Underground Communiqué Records
Get Rad is a hardcore punk band from Milwaukee, WI that features a former member of Since By Man, who just so happen to be one of the best bands of the past decade and one that sadly didn’t last longer. Unlike the metallic post-hardcore of Since By Man, Get Rad is a more straight-forward, almost retro hardcore band.
Get Rad has a very classic and warm early 1980’s hardcore sound that has some familiar traits of bands that these old ears grew up on. I detect influences ranging from DC hardcore, to Murphy’s Law, to Negative Approach and even to some more melodic hardcore bands that fueled my upbringing. The songs are fast-tempo and they go from one to another with nary a pause between the songs. It is like one intense set of killer hardcore. Instead of thrash however the band has just enough of a melodic edge to their songs to give them a juicy hook without sacrificing any intensity or even speed. Occasionally there will be a slower breakdown, or “mosh-part” to the songs but aside from that they are always running full speed.
The vocals have just the right mixture of growl, yell, and rough melody that a lot of bands can’t achieve and the result is a perfect balance in the vocal delivery that delivers emotion without the emo and intensity and aggression without generic yelling of profanities. The guitars have a really thick and punch sound and there’s some fancy bass noodling in there too that adds that extra bit of style to their crunchy foundation. These guys have mastered playing a style of music that hearkens back to hardcore’s heyday without sounding like a cover band or some generic knockoff.
This 12″ features nine songs and is best played from start to finish as they all blend into each other seamlessly. It feels to be the exact perfect length to satisfy. The record comes on a one-sided blue marbled vinyl housed in a standard full color jacket. The record also comes with a lyric sheet, a tribute card for a friend who passed away, and a download card so you can get the mp3’s for your iPod. It is a really attractive and complete package that adds to the great music contained within. Highly recommended!
