NYC has been a busy place, pumping out more punk and hardcore bands than non-locals can easily keep up with, from overly hyped bands like Crazy Spirit to the criminally under-appreciated Pollution. Warthog – formerly Chain Wallet – received a lot of buzz before they ever played a show, but the Chain Wallet demo and live performances quickly justified it. Featuring the former frontman of The Men, Warthog sounds like what The Men could have been if they’d taken We Are The Men into full-on hardcore territory. Showing influence as much from bands like Poison Idea as from their former acts – Nomos and Dawn of Humans, to name a few – and NYHC contemporaries – the Toxic State roster and Goosebumps come to mind. The demo contains five songs of ugly and angry HC that manages to be catchy at the same time. The demo deserves vinyl treatment, or at least a follow up 7”. A great demo, but considering the pedigree of Warthog’s members, you should expect no less.