Flyover Fest—formerly Act Like You Know Fest and Promcore—returns to Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 17 to 19 for a weekend full of hardcore music. Featuring over fifty unique artists from all over the country (even Canada), the weekend promises to be unforgettable. That being said, with so many artists listed on the bill it can be difficult to figure out who you want to see, so we at For The Punks thought we’d make a column detailing various artists performing at the festival and share them with all of you!
1. A Mourning Star
Hailing from Vancouver, the one and only A Mourning Star recently announced that their debut record A Reminder of the Wound Unhealed will release on October 13 via DAZE Records, just a little over a month before Flyover Fest. The record’s first single “Encased in Crystalline” sounds like it’s straight out of the early 2000’s with its muffled vocals and driving blast beats. It’ll be interesting to see what A Mourning Star brings out for this record. Time will only tell, but at least it puts us ever closer to Flyover. Give the band’s new single a listen on Spotify here. They’ll be taking the stage at Flyover on Saturday, November 18.
Watch A Mourning Star perform live below:
2. JIVEBOMB
There’s no band that has made a bigger impact in the scene this year than Jivebomb. The thrash hardcore band are still coming in hot after the release of their EP last year via Flatspot Records. Primitive Desires is kind of like an earthquake whose aftershocks can still be felt for weeks to come following the first disaster event. With all this in mind, fans sit in rigid anticipation for the band’s debut record, which seems imminent at this point. Check out their releases on Bandcamp here. They’ll be taking the stage at Flyover on Sunday, November 19.
Check out the music video for “Ditz” below.
3. No Cure XXX
Alabama straight edge group No Cure recently released their newest single “Parasite (TWO SHOTS)” back in May of this year. Mixing elements of black metal and heavy metal, No Cure have proven themselves to be masters of their craft. Formed during the pandemic, the group plan to tour with Fleshrot and 200 Stab Wounds next month, so keep an eye out for the full list of dates. As for Flyover, they’ll be taking the stage on Saturday, November 18. Check out the rest of their music here.
Below is the music video for their newest single.
4. World I Hate
“Kill everyone that deserves to die,” that’s World I Hate’s motto. The Milwaukee band truly means it when saying, “Take no survivors.” This rings especially true with their newest record Years of Lead. With quite the debut record, the group has made waves in the hardcore scene, even more remarkable once you learn that they only played their first live show in 2021. Later this year, you’ll have the chance to see this powerhouse band at Flyover! World I Hate will be playing on Saturday, November 18. Give Years of Lead a listen on Bandcamp here.
Check out a video of World I Hate performing live last year below.
5. Pain Of Truth
“There’s nothing stronger than the Pain Of Truth.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, Pain of Truth dropped their collaboration, a single titled “Under My Skin” with Criminal Instinct. This release, along with their debut record Not Through Blood—out September 8 via DAZE Records—comes ahead of their upcoming Japan tour, taking place only two months before Flyover Fest. Their upcoming album is full of collaborations including Trapped Under Ice, Terror, Madball, 200 Stab Wounds, Last Wishes, and so many more iconic names in the scene. High and raucous energy, Pain of Truth’s performance is a sight to behold and a near-perfect representation of New York Hardcore, so make sure they’re on your list for the festival. They play on Saturday, November 18.Below is a taste of what their live performances are like.
6. GUMM
Between going on tour with Jivebomb and Drain—Restraining Order and Fiddlehead later this year—and the release of their newest record Slogan Machine via Convulse Records, GUMM have been keeping themselves busy this year to say the least. The highlight of their record “Free” speaks to breaking away from toxic beliefs that singer Drew Waldon learned during his adolescence due to his highly evangelical upbringing. Waldon has described the song as giving a voice to “the growing pains of breaking away.” They play Sunday, November 19 of Flyover.
Check out “Free” below.
7. Sign Language
With their newest record Madison & Floral released via Sunday Drive Records, Sign Language tackles hope, loss, love, and uncertainty—all the while anchoring themselves to their home of Cincinnati, Ohio. Remarkably, the group ingeniously combines post-hardcore with the harmonic and the result is a constantly revolving sound full of intricate, colorful layers. Recently, the band could be found on a co-headline tour with Squint, even making a stop in Tulsa. Do yourself a favor and check out Sign Language’s set at Flyover this year on Sunday, November 19.
The band’s full discography can be found on their Bandcamp here & watch out the stunning video for their single “Relapse” below.
8. Soledad
Texas-based band Soledad is coming in hot on Saturday, November 18, helping to tie together the lineup wonderfully. Celebrating their newest release, Rezando Por La Muerte, Soledad’s monster riffs and sludgey sound is enough to give you chills. The four-track EP even comes complete with a high-energy Sepultura cover. Using Spanish and English lyrics, the band is proud of their background as they’ve helped to create a space for Latinos in the hardcore scene. Check out their Bandcamp here.
Check out a video of Soledad performing live below:
9. Contention
Tampa-based band Contention will help close out the festival on Sunday, November 19, with their special brand of straight edge. Last summer, the band released their EP Summer Offensive, which the band has been touring in support of since its release. “Inflict My Will,” one of the highlights of the EP, sees Contention fashion themselves into a weapon of mass destruction, channeling 90’s hardcore. “On a world that wants to crush me, I inflict my will.”
Get a taste of what Contention is like live below! The band’s discography can be found on Bandcamp here.
10. The Tooth
OKC-based The Tooth will play Friday, November 17 at Flyover Fest. The highly eclectic group merges genres such as hardcore, punk, metal, and other underground genres to create their own unique sound. Rage and sludge to its core, We’ve Got Everything marks the group’s latest release. Comprised of two singles, “Spires” and “Canine Chain,” the EP sees the Tooth embrace the evolution of their sound with open arms, and the risk pays off immensely.
Check out the band’s full discography on Bandcamp here.
11. God’s Hate
“Life is hard—be harder.” That’s the motto of hardcore band God’s Hate. Co-founded by Brody King, AEW professional wrestler—Yeah, you read that right—and Colin Young of Twitching Tongues, this marks a special occasion as God’s Hate and Twitching Tongues will perform alongside each other. 2021 saw God’s Hate’s last release, their self-titled album (via Closed Casket) which received rave reviews. The stadium-sized record has left fans chomping at the bit for their next release.
Check out the rest of the band’s discography on Bandcamp here.
12. BRAT
New Orleans-based death grind band BRAT will help open up the festival with their Friday, November 17, slot. A product of the pandemic, the foursome is known for bringing some vibrancy to the scene with their “Yassified look,” think Barbie. BRAT ingeniously bends the foundations of—often toxically masculine—genres to forge their own unique sound. Most recently, the group released a single titled “Human Offense.” Singer Liz Selfish screams, “Light has left us, slipping away. Rest now,” amidst the chaos of blast beats and monster riffs. Recently, Selfish teased a new recording on Instagram. Who knows? Maybe BRAT will treat fans to a performance of it at Flyover.
Check out their music on Bandcamp here and listen to their song “Human Offense” below.
