[Flyer courtesy of Jonah Krueger]

By Liam Syrvalin, Contributor

Get ready to release your inner rage, Athens. Hardcore Holidays is coming to The Union this Thursday, Nov. 10. Two local Ohio bands will take the stage: Darkroom and Girl Cologne. 

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Darkroom is a new Columbus hardcore band, emerging from one of the most innovative scenes of the genre in America. They created a new sound in the world of hardcore, pairing guttural yet relatable screams with beats that draw from the speedcore, beatdown and straightedge subcultures of the genre. The four-piece group released a new song last Friday titled “Nothing Holy”. This song, to put it lightly, will cause mass chaos in any room. I would absolutely make a bet that someone who has never listened to hardcore in their life before would be windmilling and crowd-killing to “Nothing Holy.” Darkroom have two more tracks in their discography available to stream on Spotify that continue to highlight the potential and talent this group possesses. “DYG” is a special track that shows off the skill of Darkroom’s drummer. The snare shots mixed with devastating bass and tom hits are enough to inspire movement alone, not even counting the villainous tones coming from the guitar and bass. This band is going to tear The Union apart, and you should be there for it.

Girl Cologne is an indie rock band from Cleveland with grunge and punk rock influences. They have been releasing music on Spotify since 2020, with “Help You Help Me” being their most popular song. They released a full-length album in 2021, titled Phases. “Don’t Wanna Hear It” is one of many songs that has clear DIY and punk influences in the instrumentation, making this band a perfect fit for Athens music culture. “Srsly wtf?” is a showcase of the harmonic talent the band possesses, with dreamy spaced-out chords supporting clear and melodic vocals. The lyrics for any Girl Cologne song will relate and resonate for almost every college student, giving more impact to an already powerful musical performance. This set will be a nice break from the chaos, but just as captivating and entertaining. 

Before and after the certainly legendary performances of both bands, some of the best hardcore songs the genre has to offer will be played in The Union during sets brought to you by DJ ALXCHC. Doors to the venue open at 8 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 10. Cover charge will be $10 at the door for lobsters who are under 21, and $8 for those over 21. Don’t miss this mashup of two great Ohio bands!