An Open Letter to the Scene

VINYL FORMAT. On 180 gram vinyl; comes with a digital download! He may not be a mainstream mainstay, but mention the name "Walter Schreifels" to anyone even tangentially involved in the punk or hardcore scene and chances are you'll be met with borderline reverence. From his tenure in legendary hardcore bands like Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today to his work in the pioneering post-hardcore act Quicksand and cult favorites like Rival Schools and the Britpop-leaning Walking Concert, Schreifels has proved himself to be one of the most talented and diverse songwriters of his generation. Now, over two decades after GB released their landmark album Start Today, Schreifels is ready to once again transcend his hardcore roots and show another side of his constantly shifting skin with his solo debut An Open Letter to the Scene. In fact in many ways An Open Letter to the Scene is as much of a sonic roadmap as it is a lighthouse and although piano-tinged, harmony-rich ballads may seem incongruous coming from a NYHC legend, that's always been a big part of Schreifels' appeal. "I came up in the hardcore scene and have followed on from there, but after a while I spun so far from that point I could barely see it anymore until I realized it was just over my shoulder again," he explains when asked about his career's trajectory. "With Walking Convert I made a break with the style I had developed through Quicksand and Rival Schools and that felt right, but on this album I wanted to break with the idea of being in a band to gain something new," he continues. "For those unfamiliar with my past work, I don't think it matters if you know who Agnostic Front are to enjoy these songs - but I suspect if you were a fan, we may have some nice catching up to do."