CanadianWasteland Archives: Groundwork - Discography (1990-1994)

Groundwork was a political, straight edge hardcore band from Tucson, Arizona. The band was one of the first hardcore bands to combine influences from the D.I.Y/emo scene with blistering, heavy hardcore; similar to bands like Unbroken, Rorschach and Disembodied. In their active years Groundwork toured and collaborated with some incredible bands like Honeywell, Julia, and Struggle. The band had an undeniable influence on many other bands in the 90s hardcore scene and they deserve a lot more praise and recognition than they currently get. After the breakup of Groundwork, some members would go on to form Absinthe and the incredible Four Hundred Years.

Groundwork balanced grooving melodies with heart stopping breakdowns and harsh, shrieked vocals. At the heart of all of this anger and disgust that Groundwork conveys are some very political and personal lyrics about class, discrimination and morality. Groundwork never pulled any punches in their songs, they paint a picture of a dystopic world gone mad, underlying the political tensions felt by the average American in the early to mid 90s. A lot of the political issues that Groundwork focused on are still prevalent in our society today and deserve to be revisited. When you listen to this band, go ahead and take a look at the lyrics as well; Groundwork wasn't just a punk band for the sake of being a punk band, they were a real force with a real message behind them.

Recently, a new remaster of their sole LP was released to streaming. Currently they only have 180 or so monthly listeners on Spotify, which is criminal in my books, so don't overlook this band! Give them a shot.

Discography

Today Will Not Be Invisible Nor Silent LP/CD Discography 1994/95 (Bloodlink)