The Western Massachusetts hardcore scene has always had a way of cycling generations together, with older players and newer faces constantly cross-pollinating to form unexpected new projects. Price of Redemption is one of the latest examples of that dynamic, bringing together musicians whose combined résumés span everything from foundational ’90s metallic hardcore to modern melodic hardcore and contemporary New England standouts.
The lineup reads like a wild roll call of different eras: vocalist Tommy Harte (ex–Broken Vow, currently in Anxious), drummer Jamie Pushbutton (ex-Hatebreed, Pushbutton Warfare; currently in Death Threat, Blood For Blood), guitarists Kyle Beaudrault (Restraining Order, Machines of Hate) and Zack Allen (Almost Hours), and bassist George Barosso (Revenge, Machines of Hate). For Harte, the blend of ages, histories, and experiences isn’t a happy accident—it’s the entire point.
“Honestly, I'd say it's comprised of even more generations than two!” he laughs. “That was kinda the point once Jamie hit me up. He was the real push to get the band started and keep the ball rolling. We wanted to keep it all within Western Mass people, and in the process we found people of four or five different generations who were down.”
Before the full lineup was even formed, Harte and Jamie were already discussing a sonic direction rooted in the heavier corners of ’90s metal-tinged hardcore. “Influences were definitely in the ’90s metallic hardcore sphere,” Harte says, name-checking All Out War, Kickback, and Turmoil as early reference points. “I leaned a little bit in a thrashier direction on some of the riffs, and we were throwing around bands like Demolition Hammer and Pantera too.”
Two songs were written before Price of Redemption even had members, and the strong musical identity of those early riffs shaped the band more than any formal conversation. The middle track, “Forgotten Half,” was the only one written specifically for the band once the lineup was fully in place. Harte sees it as a sign of where the group is headed: “I think it points to the direction we hope to go in.”
Once the songs were ready, Price of Redemption headed to record with Will Hirst, a longtime anchor of the Western Mass scene whose production work and band involvement have made him a go-to figure. “Will is a staple,” Harte says. “His recordings are top notch, and he recently moved into a really nice new studio in Easthampton. It was a no-brainer to go with him. He definitely elevated it beyond the average demo—hit him up for all your recording needs if you’re in the Northeast.”
The band found a perfect label home just as naturally. Harte recently moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he became neighbors with Nick, the voice behind Physical Therapy, a label that’s quickly become a hub for new New England hardcore. “We’ve been friends for a long time,” Harte says. “I love the work he’s been doing putting on new bands. It felt like a cool thing to be involved in, and he was incredibly easy to work with.”
Price of Redemption will be playing their first two shows will be a weekend run on February 7th and 8th in Westfield, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island along with Restraining Order and Colin of Arabia. As for the future, they will operate the way most multi-band, multi-project lineups do these days: deliberately and with no pressure.
“We’ve got some shows coming up, and we’ll definitely be recording more music in the not-too-distant future,” Harte says. “It’ll be a part-time endeavor for sure since everyone is so involved in other areas in and outside of music. But after the demo recording, we agreed we like hanging out too much to let the band falter—so there will be more Price of Redemption in the future!”
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Head to Physical Therapy to pick up a copy of the demo on cassette.
Price of Redemption on social media: Instagram
Tagged: anxious, blood for blood, broken vow, death threat, machines of hate, price of redemption, pushbutton warfare, restraining order
