The world was dealt a collective and very real bombshell in early 2020 when the pandemic known as Covid 19 reared it’s ugly head. Life as we knew it was very promptly turned on it’s head and there have been heart-breaking stories of loved ones lost, the world over as well as creating a further rift in an already divided world. But it’s in times like these that the human spirit finds a way to persist and it’s that sort of attitude that has produced the Covid 19 -Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Like millions of other people, Superhero Records head honcho O.J Bader found himself at a good place in his life in late 2019. He was optimistic about his future business endeavours and was just about to become a father, when the pandemic hit. His business was forced to close and as so many other people can attest to, his mental health took a turn for the worse. In an effort to flip his situation and channel that negative energy into something positive, the idea for a compilation record, that would sum up those dark feelings, was born. Bader reached deep into his connections within the hardcore scene and has put together a quite remarkable collection of songs, from across the punk and hardcore spectrum.

The stories behind how these tracks got onto this record are as entertaining as the tracks themselves and make for an interesting read on the album cover. For instance, First Blood agreed to give their demo track Victim, in return of for a bunch of Bader’s famous cupcakes. But kicking the whole thing off are Covid 19 (the band that is) with the absolutely raging Coronavirus. Covid 19 for those who don’t know feature former Ignite duo Joe Nelson and Brian Balchack and make buying this record essential all by themselves. Pennsylvania’s favourite sons Wisdom in Chain’s lend Everything You Know to the album, but it’s the inclusion of Merauder’s classic Downfall of Christ which brough a smile to my face, showing that this compilation has been carefully chosen from years of Hardcore history. But the history lesson doesn’t stop there as we are taken all the way back to 1981 with the T.S.O.L classic Abolish Government/Silent Majority but if you are looking for something new then fear not as we are treated to unreleased tracks from two of Germany’s finest -Rykers and Anticops as well as cheeky track cut from the German release of Sheer Terror’s Ugly and Proud.

A well thought out project born out of hopelessness, has turned into a project of optimism and will put a great big smile across the face of any hardcore kid or punk and if any more reason were needed to purchase this, then all proceeds will be going to the bands on it. Positivity in the face of adversity. You see, it’s not all doom and gloom… Chris Andrews