Battery
High-octane DC hardcore that hits like a physical weight. Aggressive, principled, and relentlessly fast music for finding your second wind.
High-octane DC hardcore that hits like a physical weight. Aggressive, principled, and relentlessly fast music for finding your second wind.
Battery represents the peak of 1990s youth crew hardcore, delivering a sound that is as much about community and conviction as it is about speed. Their music is characterized by a relentless forward momentum, driven by snapping snare hits and thick, palm-muted guitar work that bridges the gap between traditional punk and the heavier, metallic edge of the era. It is music that feels like a collective shout, designed to be heard in cramped, high-energy spaces.
What sets them apart is the vocal intensity of Brian McTernan combined with Ken Olden's sophisticated songwriting. While many of their peers stuck to three-chord simplicity, Battery infused their tracks with subtle melodic shifts and structural dynamics that rewarded repeated listens. The production often carries a crisp, punchy clarity that highlights the precision of their rhythm section, making every breakdown feel earned and every chorus feel like a call to action.
Start with 'Until the End' to hear the band at their most cohesive. It captures the quintessential DC straight edge spirit: fast, focused, and deeply sincere. It is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to understand why this specific era of hardcore remains so influential to the modern scene.
Battery was an American straight edge youth crew hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C. that was active from 1990 until 1998 and re-formed for a brief reunion in 2012. They toured on numerous occasions around both the United States and Europe and had several releases, including 3 full-length LPs, the last of which was released on Revelation Records. Vocalist Brian McTernan was also a member of Ashes, Miltown and My Best Mistake and guitarist Ken Olden also played in Damnation A.D., Better Than A Thousand, Youth of Today, Worlds Collide, When Tigers Fight, Fort Knox and Hard Strike.
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