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Writers like to throw a particular word around regarding music like Omaha, Nebraska's Purgatory.

Ignorant.

It's not the sort of word many people aspire toward but, this is the world of heavy music, where running counter to the norm is a vital factor.

Ignorant people are almost never good people, but ignorant hardcore can be very good music. Ignorant humans suck because they are not aware of the world around them, and so make badly-informed decisions that make the rest of our lives harder and more uncomfortable than they need to be. Ignorant hardcore is good for the same reason: it does not require you to be aware any of the accouterments that comes with hardcore beyond the sheer pleasure of hearing someone saw away on a tuned-down and palm muted E-string while someone else hits the kick drum, snare drum and hi-hat cymbal in perfect tandem—which happens many times on Purgatory's new EP, Gospel of War. That is the musical sound of a balled up fist colliding with puny flesh. It is simple. It is all that matters, that is why it's ignorant.

Which isn't to say that there is no art in ignorance. Purgatory, like Xibalba and many more before them, is the musical equivalent of Shaker furniture. No ornamentation. Only simple pleasure.

That also isn't to say that the songs on this record aren't about anything. Quite the contrary. Vocalist Matt Anderson had this to say about ignorance and this EP: "Gospel of War is a slap in the face of the ignorance that fuels society: the corruption, greed, and overall disgust with the selfishness of humanity. It's a fuck you to all the cowards afraid to think for themselves and the social norms everyone feels a need to follow to be 'accepted.' It deals with personal issues of suicide and depression while on the same note calling out people who feel a need to drag everyone down around them cause they feel sorry for themselves. There's a lot of anger that went into writing this record that I think people will be able to feel and relate to. Gospel of War is an outlet, a release for the anger and aggression you feel in your daily life and it should piss you off."

Does it hurt to sit down? Good. It should.

—Joseph Schafer

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Gospel of War drops this Friday via Escapist Records. Follow Purgatory on Facebook and Instagram.

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