MIXTAPE - Ancient Texts

Every year, I organize a March Mixtape Swap where two-dozen or so of my friends contribute new mixtape and receive different mixtapes in return. This year my friend Jay submitted the "Ancient Texts" mixtape. This mixtape has an origin story. Montreal's DEADBOLT had recently played a set at 2024's Montreal Madhouse that include a cover of WARZONE's "As One". The crowd response for the cover was so disappointing that the singer, Julia, admonished the crowd: "You all need to go study your ancient texts!"

Inspired, Jay tried to compile his best attempt at the "Ancient Texts" of hardcore and punk, closing the tape with WARZONE's "As One". Why am I reviewing a mixtape though? Because this mixtape is fucking great. It's a 90 minute tape that delivers on the premise: a comprehensive overview of essential songs in hardcore and punk. It's without a doubt the best "hardcore classics" mix I've ever heard.

I feel like 50% of my time spent in punk venues/bars/record stores (80% if in Toronto), I am subjected to what I assume is a Spotify playlist titled "Hardcore Punk Classics" or some such bullshit. Or maybe it's just autoplay from Spotify or YouTube circling the drain of lowest common denominator #punkrock. BLACK FLAG, BAD RELIGION, DEAD KENNEDYS, PENNYWISE, maybe THE CLASH and a "wild card" like RISE AGAINST. You all know what I'm talking about, you have all heard this playlist.

Jay's "Ancient Texts" features none of those bands, and yet no one could seriously argue that any of the bands included shouldn't be part of the "classics". Everyone will find something new or obscure on this tape, but it's also not pretentious. Jay's "Ancient Texts" are not restricted to some first wave, nor a specific cutoff date, mixing in LIMP WRIST, INFEST, and CROSSED OUT alongside MDC, FAITH, VOID, THE GERMS, and BAD BRAINS. There are bands you would never see on some bullshit algorithmic playlist like SPITBOY, THE BAGS, LOS CRUDOS, and tracks from bands in different scenes or parts of the world like BASTARD, ANTI CIMEX, THE MOB, NAPALM DEATH, ZOUNDS etc. My only complaint is I would've liked to see a BLATZ song alongside the BLITZ track because that would be funny. There are two different songs from different bands called "Drug Free Youth" back to back so, nice one.

You can't get a copy of this tape, unless you know Jay and ask him for a copy. The real point of this review is that any mixtape like this, made by a friend with broad open taste in punk, lots of experience and a bit of consideration and care, will absolutely destroy anything fabricated by algorithmic autoplay or culled from the licensed library on streaming services. Many tracks on this tape are simply not available on Spotify! If you really want to study the "Ancient Texts", start swapping mixtapes with your friends diving deep into punk history. Don't worry about pretentious record snobs, and definitely don't both with what's on a "Top 100 Essential Punkrock Tunes" playlist.