Doubt – Held in Contempt [w/ poster] - New 7"
6-song EP. "Throw yourself into the fire."
"Baltimore hardcore punk is the best it’s been in over a decade, and Doubt is next in a wave of new bands emerging from the under appreciated city. Ferocious and untameable, Doubt keep the mid-tempo traditions that their forebears Trapped Under Ice championed, but balance it with doses of speed uncommon in east coast hardcore. With their new EP Held In Contempt, Doubt is a manifestation of the area’s promise for future excellence.
Doubt takes cues from west coast punk like Ceremony and Trash Talk, showing over 6 songs that they fear no d-beat or technicality, but won’t sacrifice a stomping fight riff in order to shred. With a throat-decimating growl, vocalist Claire Abila shines as she delivers straightforward lyrics about revenge and reclaiming power against transgressors. Guitarists Logan Dorics and Jon Haire deliver every style of hardcore punk riffage a listener could want, while held in perfect step by bassist Pocholo Itona and drummer Nijol Benjamin. Produced with CORPUS engineer Aidan Elias, Doubt trekked to NYC, the birthplace of east coast hardcore, and their thorough study of both hardcore and punk is a testament to their dedication to the art and their belief in themselves.
With Held In Contempt, Doubt forces nothing and offers everything, a breath of fresh air from a region with only intriguing possibilities ahead.