ALBUM RETURNS TO THE VINYL FORMAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 23 YEARS!
Few punk bands have the history and influence held by hardcore veterans Stretch Arm Strong.
Formed in early 1992, a group of close friends who shared a love of punk music formed SAS in Columbia, South Carolina and played regularly to their local scene before releasing their debut LP Compassion Fills the Void in 1998. The band quickly gained the attention of the iconic Seattle based hardcore/metal label Solid State Records, and released their highly influential sophomore release Rituals of Life in 1999.
The band has signed with Iodine Recordings and will release a remastered, vinyl version of Rituals of Life. With this release, the album returns to vinyl for the first time since 1999. The label is also releasing Second Chances, a limited edition fanzine including commentary and essays about Rituals of Life from Hatebreed, Bane, Rise Against, Further Seems Forever, The Gaslight Anthem, and more.
Pre-order it here.
ABOUT STRETCH ARM STRONG + RITUALS OF LIFE:
Stretch Arm Strong perfectly execute a style of hardcore punk that few other bands have been able master as well as them. The band embodies a style of melodic hardcore, but seamlessly incorporates elements of pop-punk and heavy breakdowns, incorporating both harmonized vocals and brutal screaming. Their style appealed to fans of all punk sub-genres, allowing them to remain an important band in our scene until this day. But it is Stretch Arm Stong’s live show that captures their energy and passion for music. Stretch Arm Strong shows have been almost legendary in fans’ memories, full of intense dancing, stage dives, breakdowns, and singalongs. The band was one of the biggest acts during a burgeoning time in punk and hardcore, coming up along many notable bands such as Bane, BoySetsFire, and Shai Hulud.
Stretch Arm Strong have been credited for paving the way for many well known punk and indie bands around today, most notably they’ve been named as a major influence by Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, Paramore, Thursday, and Rise Against, all of whom grew up attending Stretch Arm Strong shows.
The band toured relentlessly around the world from 1999 through 2005 and released five LPs and a number of splits and singles. After a long hiatus, Stretch Arm Strong played a few reunion benefit shows in 2009 and 2011 with Bane and Evergreen Terrace. In 2021, Stretch Arm Strong played Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama, and were one of the event’s most anticipated acts. The band will return to the Furnace Fest stage in 2022. Iodine Recordings and Stretch Arm Strong have partnered together to reissue Rituals of Life, which is one of the most iconic and popular hardcore punk records of the 90s, and has been out of print for over 20 years. This limited pressing has been completely redesigned and packaged using elements of the original art by award winning design firm Unoriginal Vinyl and completely remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in San Francisco, CA. It will be offered in several exclusive color vinyl variants.
Rituals of Life will be presented with a special retrospective companion book with notes, reflections, and essays from the band as well as Hatebreed, Rise Against, Bane, The Gaslight Anthem, Further Seems Forever, and more.
RITUALS OF LIFE TRACK LISTING:
“When Sorrow Falls”
“Outside Looking In”
“Second Chances”
“All We’ve Lost”
“Try To Forget”
“For Now”
“Pursuit of Happiness”
“Reach Out”
“Set Free”
“Through My Actions”
“To a Friend”
“Melt With You”
