Subculture’s Long Lost Sophomore Album “Fred” Gets Vinyl & Digital Reissue

Long disbanded North Carolina hardcore punks Subculture have today announced the upcoming release of their shelved sophomore outing, Fred. The album will be available on black and limited-edition green 12″ vinyl courtesy of Sorry State Records, as well as through all streaming services, from the 24th January. Fred was recorded in the summer of 1986 and intended to be the followup to the Winston-Salem group’s 1985 debut, I Heard A Scream, but the tracks were left uncompleted and shelved when the young band broke up later that year. Subculture have also today shared the album’s leadoff track Willpower.

Formed in the early 80s by high school friends Matt Smith (guitar/vocals) and Chris Phillips (drums), Subculture‘s existence was short but potent. The year following the release of I Heard A Scream found the teens touring coast-to-coast playing countless shows with bands that would become seminal punk legends; including Fear, The Vandals, Verbal Abuse, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles and NOFX. Fred serves up a ripping tight testament to the group’s road-hardened technical development, while also showcasing the creative impact of their ever-widening sphere of influence. These influences can be attributed to the burgeoning North Carolina scene (especially the mentorship of hometown heroes Corrosion Of Conformity), as well as to the arrival of the fleshed-out Subculture lineup.

While vocalist Kevin Collins, guitarist & vocalist Matt Smith and drummer Chris Phillips remained from the I Heard A Scream line up, Fred saw Jeff Floyd take over bass duties, while Fred Hutchinson joined on guitar. Hutchinson, in particular, would have a notable impact on the group’s new sound, with Phillips reflecting that “Fred’s sense of humor made him a beloved band member and tourmate, and his restless musicality and metal chops helped define our sound on Fred”. In true punk spirit, the entire record was tracked live in a single four-hour studio session. While a rough mix has circulated among tape traders, Fred presents these songs in their finished form for the first time, remixed from the original multi-track tapes by John Pfiffner and mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen. The album is dedicated to the memory of Fred Hutchinson who passed away in 2023. Fred serves as an opportunity to share Hutchinson’s legacy, and to come together as a community; with proceeds from this release being donated to Hutchinson’s wife and children.