Hardcore vets Stretch Arm Strong have teamed with Iodine Records to reissue their long-out-of-print 1999 sophomore album Rituals of Life, due September 23. The album comes with new artwork using elements of the original art, and it's been remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor, Jeff Rosenstock, etc).
We've teamed up with Stretch Arm Strong and Iodine on an exclusive blood/black swirl vinyl variant, limited to just 200 copies. Pre-order yours while they last. That's a mock-up of the variant above.
Writing about the reissue, the label says:
Stretch Arm Strong perfectly execute a style of hardcore punk that few other bands have been able master as well as them. The band embodies a style of melodic hardcore, but seamlessly incorporates elements of pop-punk and heavy breakdowns, incorporating both harmonized vocals and brutal screaming. Their style appealed to fans of all punk sub-genres, allowing them to remain an important band in our scene until this day. But it is Stretch Arm Stong's live show that captures their energy and passion for music. Stretch Arm Strong shows have been almost legendary in fans' memories, full of intense dancing, stage dives, breakdowns, and singalongs. The band was one of the biggest acts during a burgeoning time in punk and hardcore, coming up along many notable bands such as Bane, BoySetsFire, and Shai Hulud.
Stretch Arm Strong have been credited for paving the way for many well known punk and indie bands around today, most notably they've been named as a major influence by Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, Paramore, Thursday, and Rise Against, all of whom grew up attending Stretch Arm Strong shows.
The band toured relentlessly around the world from 1999 through 2005 and released five LPs and a number of splits and singles. After a long hiatus, Stretch Arm Strong played a few reunion benefit shows in 2009 and 2011 with Bane and Evergreen Terrace. In 2021, Stretch Arm Strong played Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama, and were one of the event's most anticipated acts. The band will return to the Furnace Fest stage in 2022. Iodine Recordings and Stretch Arm Strong have partnered together to reissue Rituals of Life, which is one of the most iconic and popular hardcore punk records of the 90s, and has been out of print for over 20 years. This limited pressing has been completely redesigned and packaged using elements of the original art by award winning design firm Unoriginal Vinyl and completely remastered for vinyl by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in San Francisco, CA.
Stream the remastered "For Now" below and pick up our variant here.
Tracklist
"When Sorrow Falls"
"Outside Looking In"
"Second Chances"
"All We've Lost"
"Try To Forget"
"For Now"
"Pursuit of Happiness"
"Reach Out"
"Set Free"
"Through My Actions"
"To a Friend"
"Melt With You"