The Divide

Since Anarchy packed its things and left for college back in ’85, punk’s taken a turn for the, eh, fruity. But punk like it used to be—angry, confused and dysfunctional—is back for revenge in the form of this NorCal foursome. Like an adept porn star, the Divide’s near-masterpiece hits from every angle: growling vocals, hard guitar, smacking bass and melodies to make you writhe in your sleep. Their debut six-song EP is as if Leftover Crack had a lubeless orgy with Operation Ivy to create a chafed, motherless baby already hooked on cigs, booze and speed. With enough vitriol and whoa’s to render Ian MacKaye jealous, the Divide nearly makes up for what Good Charlotte has done to the genre. It’s only a matter of time until Hot Topic gets its grubby little hands on this talented band.