The Witzard

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New The Witzard Column ALERT! - Punk/Hardcore On Wax: SAVE FACE & GRAD LIFE's "SPLIT" 7-inch (Epitaph/Pure Noise Records)


This will, likely, be a weekly—or, at least, sporadically—published loosely structured column to help spotlight new or recent Punk/Hardcore 7-inches "on wax." I fully intend for this column to regularly spotlight new. up-and-coming, and largely "underground" artists... but who knows what it ultimately end up being. As often as possible, we'll share pre-order/purchase links or download information for said featured releases. Also, if you're part of or represent such a Punk/Hardcore band, please, feel free to reach out to us directly at sharpcheddar856@gmail.com and we'll send you our mailing address to send us a review copy (or even digital files) for an upcoming installment of Punk/Hardcore On Wax. It's my hope that this very column will expose at least a few angsty young teens to some up-and-coming or ever Old School Punk/Hardcore bands, if nothing else!


Sincerely,

Matt "The Witzard" Horowitz
Punk/Hardcore Correspondant


save face are a New Jersey-based Rock "N" Roll/Punk-adjacent band consisting of "tyler & friends," who may or may not be one Tyler Povanda, according to their Facebook page's MORE INFO section, at least. save face are currently signed to Epitaph Records with additional affiliations to Take This to Heart Records, Open Door Records, Backpack Records, and Mayflower Collective. save face, the self-proposed "world's biggest rock band," released their debut album, Merci, on Epitaph in 2018 and issued a number of various singles and EP's in years past. Fresno, California-based Graduating Life (AKA Grad Life) on the other hand, have a Facebook About section that only says, "Just Follow the Twitter because Facebook is weak, wack sh*t. @graduatinglife." It's appears as though Grad Life consists of two members, but, in true Punk/Hardcore fashion, their names are not readily available online. Grad Life is seemingly, currently signed to Pure Noise Records and has affiliations with Counter Intuitive Records, Little Elephant, and Riff Castle Records; Grad Life have released a number of albums, EP's, singles, and stand-alone tracks on said labels since initially forming sometime around 2016. save face & Graduating Life have, however, now joined forces with the good people at Epitaph/Pure Noise Records to collaboratively release, again, in true Punk fashion, a 4-track split record entitled SPLIT.


SAVE FACE & GRAD LIFE's SPLIT consists of two originals and two covers, one of each from each band: "Bummer," a save face original, a cover of My Chemical Romance's "Teenagers," "Wonderful," a Graduating life original, and a cover of "Heart A Tact" by Kid Dynamite. save face's "Bummer" received a bit of a single push from Epitaph Records, prior to the announcement/release of SPLIT, but the stand-out on their "Side," from our perspective, at least, is their second offering; essentially, a spot-on, stripped down cover of "Teenagers" from 2006's The Black Parade. While I'm not too familiar with Kid Dynamite, who were originally active from just 1997-2000—on second thought, maybe, that's why!— Grad Life's cover of "Heart A Tact" from 2003's Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems compilation album seems like a pretty faithful, roused up cover. SAVE FACE & GRAD LIFE's SPLIT EP is currently available in at least two super-limited edition multi-colored splattered vinyl editions: 250 Grad Life Exclusive Ultra-Clear with Heavy Blood Red Splatter and 250 Save Face Exclusive Ultra-Clear with Heavy Kelly Green Splatter. save face & Grad Life's separate "Sides" are, also, both available digitally... as a matter of fact, we've, actually, put together a handy-dandy 4-song SAVE FACE / GRAD LIFE "SPLIT" (Epitaph) Spotify playlist, which we've embedded below the break. I already got my Heavy Blood Red Splatter 7-inch from Grad Life, so get yours, too, while they're still readily available!