Band:	Capra
Album:	Errors
Style:	Post hardcore
Release date:	October 2023

01. CHSF
02. Tied Up
03. Silana
04. Trauma Bond
05. Loser
06. Kingslayer
07. Human Commodity [feat. Candace Puopolo]
08. Transplant
09. Obligatory Existence
10. Nora (Last Call)

What do you get if you mix the anger of mid-90s hardcore punk and Rage Against The Machine? The answer is Capra. This Louisiana quartet delivers one of the angriest albums of 2023, so it's time to fasten your seatbelts.

Capra was formed in 2016 by guitarist Tyler Harper and drummer Jeremy Randazzo, who wanted to bring the sounds from the hardcore and punk scenes in the late 90s into this day and age, sounding both fresh and nostalgic at the same time. After a couple of line-up changes, bassist Ben Paramore and singer Crow Lotus joined the ranks and the final pieces fell into place, so they started working on their debut album. In Transmission was recorded in 2019, but due to the pandemic it wasn't released until 2021. It was a very angry album thanks to Lotus' hostile, almost spoken vocal delivery, reminiscent of no other than Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine, and with lyrics based on personal experiences. The somewhat dirty production just added to the punk attitude of the album and made it feel like it could have been released in the actual 90s.

Now, it's time to unleash the beast that is the sophomore album Errors. The band has stated that this record is a continuation of In Transmission, and this is evident because Lotus sounds just as angry as on the debut. Musically it's not as chaotic and the production is 'cleaner', which just shows that the band has taken a step forward in refining their sound, without compromising the ever-present punk attitude of course.

For me, growing up in the middle of the straight edge movement as a kid in the 90s, Capra reminds me of the good old days when listening to their music, hitting hard on the nostalgia strings. Bands that come to mind are hometown heroes like Refused and Abhinanda, but also prominent bands of the scene like Snapcase, Raised Fist, Strife, Earth Crisis and 108, with the only difference being the lyrical themes. While the straight edge movement mostly dealt with left wing political views and animal rights, Capra deals with mental health, anxiety, personal issues and oppression. Another band that also comes to mind is contemporary Australian punk band Amyl And The Sniffers, probably because both bands have charismatic frontwomen with badass attitudes and a similar singing style.

What we get on Errors is 10 songs of delicious and ferocious hardcore punk. Well, 9 to be honest, since "Kingslayer" ventures into thrash territory, which also happens to be the longest song on the album and the only one clocking in at over four minutes. The rest clock in between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half minutes, keeping in line with the characteristics of hardcore punk where songs generally are short, fierce and intense. It's really hard to pick a favourite track because of the short runtime, just over 30 minutes, but final track "Nora (Last Call)" is probably the one standing out the most due to its excellent outro.

This album really takes me back in time in the best possible way, and it's giving me the urge to mosh and stage dive like I did almost 30 years ago. My impression is that hardcore and hardcore punk is an overlooked genre these days with most, if not all, of the aformentioned bands having disbanded a long time ago. Thankfully we have Capra reminding us of an era long forgotten.