As quickly as they burst onto the punk music scene Rites of Spring were gone. With only minimal recorded material and a handful of rowdy live shows, this Washington, DC band still managed to make a big impression on all those who heard them during their time and since. I procured my copy of their self-titled debut from a friend who was kind enough to make me a cassette copy; I then proceeded to wear it out. The music was hardcore punk, but it wasn’t. It was fast and loud, a little more melodic, and the lyrics were more personable — some say Rites of Spring were the genesis of emo music. Regardless of classification, the blistering guitars of Guy Picciotto and Eddie Janney and the rapid-fire rhythms of Mike Fellows and Brendan Canty — which created a massive wall of sound behind Picciotto’s screeching — sounded good to me.

Following the demise of the band, the members branched off to do different things, and while all of their projects delivered some damn fine music, none could replicate the raw power of Rites of Spring.

2012 saw a return to the past for Dischord Records as they unleashed from the vaults a collection of music by the DC band. Six Song Demo is just that: six demo versions of songs that would appear on their debut record. Yes, these songs are not unheard, but they offer a look at the primordial beginnings of the band’s music. They are stripped down to the rawest form and capture the live energy Rites of Spring were known for. The guitars are loud and fuzzy with intermittent feedback in all the right places; Canty is a beast on the drums, and paired with Fellows’ bass playing the duo is on a nonstop mission to diminish the listener’s hearing. While Picciotto’s vocals sound as if he had been gargling gravel, it has never sounded sweeter as he conjures up images of Rites of Spring in a small club, garage, or dingy basement.

Much like the band’s career, Six Song Demo is short and sweet. Longevity aside, it is a nice addition to an already powerful catalog of music. The devout Rites of Spring fan will want this for their collection, and it also is a good introduction for those who have yet to be indoctrinated into fandom.

(Dischord Records, 3819 Beecher St. NW, Washington, DC 20007)