Back in 2024, I interviewed In Contempt at one of their shows at O'Brien's shortly after their first demo dropped. I think the interview only took about 20 minutes, but we spent the next hour or so shooting the shit and missing several sets because that's what hardcore is really about, isn't it?
Since then, they've been playing shows all around New England, each one an assured pile of medical bills. Their shows are an explosion of anger and frustration, thanks to the combination of Bill and Jose's blasts of grindcore and powerviolence and vocalist Tyler's ability to unleash that anguish through his lyrics and powerful delivery.
2025 was a hell of a year for In Contempt. They further developed their chaotic sound with the EP This Is A Complete Waste of Time, exploring more hardcore influences and even sludge metal on the closing track, "Axiom." They also played some amazing mixed bills with metalcore and hardcore acts like Wisdom & War, Jackal, Cooked Alive, Held Captive, E, Uponbrokenapologies, and The Greying.
Their live sets got more chaotic and tighter as the year went on, culminating in an unforgettable performance at Lynch Skatepark in Boston that June. A large crowd kicked up clouds of dust as In Contempt ripped through one of their best sets yet. Assbeaters Anonymous Booking set up the show with Boston skate collective Company Car, with whom Tyler has booked shows throughout the area.
2026 has been another busy year for In Contempt. In April, they released a split EP with local "tweakcore" act Multiple Pieces titled A Bright Lifeless World. Both bands brought some of their most insane music to date, with In Contempt dishing out two tracks of heavy-hitting grindcore and powerviolence-fused devastation. The entire EP oozed dread and despair, while the artwork, done by guitarist Bill himself, perfectly suited its bleak outlook.
Now, this fall, they're releasing their third EP and longest piece of music to date, the seven-track Hope Is A Dead Language. The bleakness of its title speaks to the themes presented throughout, with lyrics dealing with addiction, depression, neurosis, and personal loss.
The riff department is in full effect as Bill and Jose draw from even heavier realms, citing bands such as Coalesce as an inspiration. This frantic and quasi-mathy approach to the riff writing pushes In Contempt's sound even further, making this some of their most punishing material, both musically and emotionally.
Elaborating on his vocals, Tyler mentioned the influence of a certain powerviolence powerhouse's inspiration in the vocal booth:
"I was listening to a lot of Weekend Nachos and kind of going for John's style of vocals. We're mixing a lot of fast parts with just crushing, sludgy breakdowns, so it felt right."
Tyler certainly has the pipes to match John's booming vocal work, but he also takes them up a few octaves into high-pitched screams, adding to the desperation the EP brings.
Our first taste of the EP came a couple of weeks ago with the release of the single "Severance" and the announcement that In Contempt had signed with Unbeaten Records.
Speaking specifically about the track, Tyler explained how his lyrics were influenced by personal tragedy. "It's about losing a friend to an overdose, not knowing they had a problem, and fighting the feeling of being mad at them and upset and depressed about what happened."
Speaking further about his lyrics, Tyler explained that the rest of the EP follows similar themes of personal loss.
"There's this other song that's about the personal feelings of losing a loved one or the fear of losing them. After all that though, we do have one kind of lighthearted track, which is about Talladega Nights. As serious as things get, we always want to laugh and joke around both onstage and with our music."
Highlighting the musical influences on "Severance," guitarist Bill explained: "We definitely mined a little bit of screamo and d-beat influences like Tragedy and shit like that for those riffs, especially on 'Severance.' Zach, our drummer, was the one who campaigned for it especially, so we went with his idea and it worked out well."
The song captures those influences, with its midsection featuring moments of harmony as Tyler belts out his lyrics before switching to more screamo-styled vocals as the band kicks the tempo back up.
The screamo influence continues on the penultimate track, "Reflection Through Shattered Glass," probably the most emotional song on the EP and a standout for me. It switches between bashing breakdowns and faster sections that build to an emotional outro, as Sean from local metalcore act my hands were tied repeatedly screams, "I cried so many tears hoping for you to stay."
This final explosion of anguish is accompanied by high-pitched, staccato riffs before a piano fades in to close out the track. It's a fitting culmination of much of what In Contempt has displayed throughout the EP.
"The Wounds Never Close" provides a solemn ending, returning to the theme of tragically losing friends that Tyler spoke about earlier. The track features a sample from an audiobook reading of Stephen King's novella The Body, which served as the basis for the film Stand by Me. Slow guitar strumming and piano eventually disintegrate into screeching feedback as the sample details the fates of Gordie LaChance's childhood friends.
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In Contempt have always put their best foot forward with their musical output, but Hope Is A Dead Language is by far the most complete material they've written and recorded. Its themes, the band's frenzied playing, and the encompassing artwork and soundscape make for an emotional roller coaster primed for intense crowd reactions.
Hope Is A Dead Language will be out Friday, September 11, through Unbeaten Records, which will distribute it on cassette and print shirts and hoodies. There's still time to preorder, so hit the link.
In Contempt will be doing a weekend run leading up to their record release show from September 25 to 27, hitting Philadelphia and upstate New York with Mercy Whip before playing upstairs at the Middle East with Pathogenic, my hands were tied, Bad Move, and Greyloch for the release show.
In the meantime, check out their socials for updates and give their previous EPs a listen for a refresher on how sick the North Shore hardcore scene still is.
In Contempt would like to shout out Nolan and Buddy from Unbeaten, Company Car, Short Circuit, my hands were tied, Greyloch, Pathogenic, Invoke Thy Wrath, and Pure Bliss. Buy the CD to see the rest.
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In Contempt on social media: Instagram
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