One of the most hyped bands of 2014, Ajax follows up their Bleach For Breakfast demo with a self-titled five song 7” on Katorga Works. This NYC (and Albany) outfit features members Nomos, CREEM, Nuclear Spring, Warthog, and a million others. Pedigree aside, this band makes hardcore punk for people who like hardcore punk. People tend to throw out the terms “USHC” and “Swedish hardcore” when talking about Ajax. While I primarily hear the latter, their pissed off, straightforward, no nonsense approach oozes the former. Definite vibes of both Poison Idea and Totalitar. The killer drumming and gruff vocals make the demo standout above many of its peers, but there is some great riffing going on. The songs on the EP don’t stand out quite as much as the demo tracks did, but the improvement in recording and production more or less make up for it. If you want to grab a copy, act quick. These are going fast and nearly sold out from Katorga Works. Recommended track: Chain Gang