Atlanta hardcore act Criminal Instinct has spent a decade and a half in the scene but has seldom released music. Rather than frequent scrapes with the law, the sporadic output is more likely due to members’ busy schedules with other ventures. Drummer Josiah Hoeflinger, alias Skull, leads Skinhead, whose It’s A Beautiful Day, What A Beautiful Day ranked among last year’s finest hardcore records. The band has also cycled through breakups and reunions. They are now active again and have unveiled new work.
Criminal Instinct’s last full-length, Terrible Things (2019), ran just 19 minutes, testing the term’s limits. Prior to today, their most recent release was the 2020 two-song single “Skull Fucked” b/w “6 More Miles.” The group has now surfaced with Is It Raining At Your House?, a new EP that appears to have arrived with no advance notice or fanfare.
The present lineup includes prolific producer Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God’s Hate) and Martin Stewart (Terror, God’s Hate) with longtime members Josiah Hoeflinger, Josh Long, Gian Farahani, and Kaleb Perdue (also of Abuse Of Power and Foundation). This collective delivers five songs in nine minutes. Criminal Instinct’s hallmark is fast, unvarnished old-school hardcore charged with the intensity of modern heavy bands, a quality that comes through sharply on the new EP.
The Is It Raining At Your House? EP is out now through Closed Casket Activities.
