Last.fm travelled to Philadelphia, PA for our first ever look at the This Is Hardcore Festival, a four-day-long celebration of the fastest and heaviest music around. Over the course of the weekend, we spoke to bands and fans alike about what draws them to this vibrant, and frequently misunderstood subculture. Here's what we discovered. While hardcore provides an outlet for aggression, it can also paradoxically serve as a safe space for anyone who's ever felt socially excluded. The tribal sense of community it provides is ultimately what propels the scene. And This is Hardcore represents the best of it.

Check out our interviews with hardcore elder statesmen Daniel Weyandt and Scott Mellinger of Zao who've been active in the scene for over two decades. Their latest release is the Xenophobe / Fear Itself seven-inch. We also spoke with Joe Sanderson of Eternal Sleep and Jami Morgan of Code Orange about the latest generation of hardcore. Learn more about their current projects including Eternal Sleep's first true full-length The Emptiness Of and Code Orange's most recent effort is 2014's I Am King.





















Our friends at Hate5Six filmed the entire festival so you can watch the entirety of each band's set, as well as prior sets from past years of HXC fest.



Be sure to follow This Is Hardcore on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest festival updates.

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