Hardcore is in a really weird place right now. Turnstile brought the scene to GRAMMYs with their 2021 hit record, Glow On, Knocked Loose has made a habit of scaring normies and conjuring circle pits at festivals, and Kublai Khan have all but crowned themselves the reliable standard for hardcore and metalcore. With it's out-of-the-woodwork mainstream success over the last several years, hardcore has become more accessible than ever, staying true to core scene values like inclusivity and positive social change, and paving the way for more local scenes to take their turn in the spotlight.
I first stumbled onto LIE during a week long Xibalba kick in 2023. I had gotten myself pretty deep down the Midwest punk rabbit hole (as some of our frequent flyers may remember), which led me further past the Mississippi River into the SoCal and Texas scenes. Xibalba led me to Desmadre which led me to Barrio Slam, finally landing on LIE after a few spins around the proverbial. They only had two songs that I could track down on streaming at the time, the eventual first single "CREEPIN'," and the yet to be released "TEMPTATIONS," which then existed only in live set footage and included on the This City is Going to Kill Me compilation album.
"CREEPIN'" was a heavy introduction to the band; lead in by the sound of channel surfing radio stations, interposed by transmission static, then settling on the warbled, hissing final seconds of Ramón Ayala's "Un Puño de Tierra." Ayala is cut off abruptly and hurriedly to make way for the introductory chords and crash cymbals. Its a dramatic, haunting first hello, sounding out a warning to make peace with the people in your life and not let your own misgivings and destructive habits drive nails into your coffin. LIE's cautionary tale is hammered in even further by the single's cover art; Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, or "Our Lady of Guadalupe," with the band's logo pasted in the center.
LIE is made up of vocalist Angel, guitarists Creep and Jacksun, bassist Ernie, drummer Mario, and Matt Diaz, a.k.a., DJ MRD. Several of the core members were originally part of a previous band, Splynt, before mutually disbanding. After some time apart (and Mario's miraculous recovery from an unforeseen knee injury), Angel, Creep and Mario began making moves to form a new group. Jacksun would join soon after, then enlisting the help of current bassist Ernie, before finally tacking DJ MRD on round out the six core havoc-wreakers of LIE. The band started out practicing in Mario's grandmother's backyard, where they also played their first show, they revealed in their interview with 8-TRACK in November, 2023.
Since forming, the band has spent the majority of their time making a name for themselves at their live shows all over their home city of Houston, TX, playing skateparks, breweries, and now infamously, Zumies. But with such a rapid rise to power in the Houston hardcore scene, LIE has faced their own share of criticism over the last year, being labeled "pretty boy hardcore" by other members of the scene. But they've taken it in stride, laughing it off and taking it on the chin. "Honestly, I'm not mad about it, we're getting compliments at the same time," said Angel. "Some of us just like to carry ourselves with drip."
Almost a year after the release of their first single, LIE's first EP, L.R.H.C., "Latinos Run Hardcore," hit streaming Friday, July 5, sailing sneakily under the radar during the overwhelmingly popular Independence Day release week. Early reviews were mixed and polarizing (esteemed hardcore critic and music journalist, @spaz-egotthatlongmoney3112, was among the first to share their thoughts in the comments under the "TEMPTATIONS" music video, saying, "if you want Latino hardcore, go listen to Los Crudos and not this trash, good god"), but I've never been one to take critics' opinions past face value.
L.R.H.C. is a grand day out for LIE, perfectly translating the intensity of a live set to the studio recording, thanks in part to the tracking talents of John Allen Stephens of Third Coast Recordings and the mixing and mastering of Mychal Soto of Slamnasium Recordings. The record itself is a total bloodbath, steeped and brewed in themes of personal and cultural identity, the monotony and fruitlessness of check-chasing, and the human necessity of making one's voice heard, packaged beautifully in beer fueled destructive tendencies.
The EP's standout tracks, "BODYBOX" and "MAL DE OJO" featuring fellow scene stars and bill-mates, Cable, rise above as prime examples of classic hardcore technique paired perfectly with modern hardstyle breakdowns. Mario's breakbeat, tom heavy drumming and Ernie's metronomic rhythm bass carry the band's sound to still unquantifiable heights, bolstering Angel's pretty boy, bat-outta-hell vocals and the guitarists' frantic, calculated call-and-repsonse style riffage.
L.R.H.C. showcases the band's natural inclination for good heavy music and puts their innate audacity when it comes to pointing the finger on full display. It's easy to see why LIE are quickly becoming the faces of the Houston hardcore scene; this shit'll have you quitting your job and two-stepping in the middle of your kitchen.
Rob Lucchesi
LIE
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