For the better part of a decade, Canada’s Fucked Up has been upending the conventions of hardcore punk without diluting any of the music’s core power. They have messed around with song lengths, have added all different types of instrumentation to their albums, and even made a concept album (which to some is a punk rock no-no), among other things. Their willingness to push the boundaries has always put them one step ahead of the competition, even if it hasn’t endeared them to the kind of people who want hardcore to just sound one way.

Their live shows have become legendary, usually entailing lead singer Damian Abraham running amok shirtless among the crowd while the band plays frenetically on stage. It can be quite a spectacle.

This release is the sixth in a series based on the zodiac. The A-side contains the 18-minute title track,while the B-side contains a couple of covers of songs originally performed by obscure Canadian punk rock bands.

The title track which makes up the entire A-side of this 12-inch is a stunning and cohesive piece of music with a great ebb and flow. It stretches the boundaries of what can be considered hardcore punk, as you’ll hear traces of hard rock, shoegaze, and pyschedelia in the mix, along with some solos that wouldn’t be out of place on a killer metal album. It takes you on quite the trip and you will be glad you went on it.

The B side features covers of “I Wanna Be A Yank” (Cardboard Brains) and “Disorder” (The Ugly), which shows the band is just at adept at cranking out, two-minute, three-chord barn burners. They can get you either way.

It also must be said that Damian Abraham’s vocals are feral and gritty, helping to give the music a little extra-punch when needed, especially on the title track, where it imbues the music with a certain primal punk rock spirit. On the cover songs he just rages. The juxtaposition of his raw vocals on the sometimes sophisticated musical delivery work together, instead of against each other. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

Fucked Up have a new full length imminent in June on their primary label Matador, and this vinyl EP will help reintroduce you to this one-of-a-kind band. It stands on its own as another singular release from a truly singular band.

(Tankcrimes, PO Box 3495, Oakland CA 94609)