I’ve always thought that the downside of being a dedicated fan of a very specific subset of music is constant exposure to derivative imitations of that genre’s leading groups. Fortunately, genre fandom has an accompanying upside: we actually enjoy that kind of shit, when done well enough. Assisting me on aural aids today is Boston’s Righteous Jams, a band who manage to satisfy my hardcore sweet spot without branching out on their own in any way whatsoever.

Most fans of hardcore (the punk-derivative variety, not the chug-chug-wee-wee shit) will find themselves establishing a rapport with this band almost immediately. Their tried-and-true blend of eighties hardcore punk (Bad Brains, SSD, Black Flag) and a dash of snarling, drunken rock’n’roll makes for a well-worn but energetic and punchy listen. The most immediate point of comparison that comes to mind is fellow Bostonians The Suicide File, but the emphasis here is placed even more heavily on the crusty mid-paced rock grooves. This sort of hardcore is almost headbangable, though not in a cheesedick metal-hybrid kind of way. Righteous Jams simply spit out enough gristle-loaded punk anger to force the beat into the listener’s system.

I won’t bother with song-by-song analysis; Business As Usual scarcely deviates from its swinging, up-tempo pace or gritty riff vocabulary. This is nine brief tracks of well-crafted, intense, catchy hardcore that’s easily of above-average quality but still a retread. If you like this style and are looking to expand your collection, this isn’t a bad purchase, but most others will find little of interest here.