DESOLATED: On finding peace and gaining strength from the hardcore community

When it comes to hardcore heavyweights Desolated, guitarist Richy Unsworth has always felt more comfortable playing intimate venues, with devoted crowds that ooze with disorder. “I love it when it properly kicks off, and you’ve got a massive pit. That’s my perfect vibe. I like stage divers, but they don’t happen very often for us, because I think there is not normally a front row, they sort of evacuate.” Perhaps that’s why the title of Desolated’s new album, ‘Finding Peace’, works so well; there is an unspoken art of finding the calm in the chaos.

As the band's first record in nine years, it was easy to get swept up in why ‘Finding Peace’ had taken so long to come out. Richy claims that Desolated spent years refining the record, compacting all the elements of the shred until it formed a brilliant diamond. Tracks like Glass Ceiling, Bite Down and Victim took four years to perfect, just because the band worked through the record slowly, “in drips and drabs”, fitting in with their lives and schedules outside of the band. 

2016’s ‘The End’ was a record so dedicated to finality that it was almost impossible to follow up. Nine years ago, Desolated’s abrasive sound was revolutionary, as it paved the way for the brutality of modern hardcore, now championed by artists like Pain Of Truth and Sunami. Richy reflects, “The hardcore scene is a lot bigger now, and the ceiling is way, way higher than back then. I remember we stood out quite a bit, and then the pandemic happened and all these bands blew up.” 

“For years and years, hardcore [in the UK] has not been that hard, other than like Rupture. And now we’re in this wave of bands that just make me want to pit so fucking hard. I’m kind of gassed about it, to be honest.” Beaming with enthusiasm about the hardcore scene, he adds: “Last Wishes are great! I managed to catch them with Comeback Kid the other week.”

Whilst Richy jokes about being the old guy at the hardcore show (“There has to be one!”, he exclaims), the best thing about Desolated as a unit is the respect they have for their scene. ‘Finding Peace’ is a much of a tribute to old school hardcore as the influence of newer artists like Trapped Under Ice and Gridiron. When it comes to collaborating with other artists, from the guest spots on their albums to the bands that they ask to support them at their shows like Whispers, D Bloc and Ninebar, they choose people that they truly respect to work with. 

Richy remembers the first time he met Bangkok evilcore outfit Whispers back in 2014 at their first ever show. “I was, like, moshing across the stage, just having a great time in Thailand. I almost died because it's so hot and I'm not built for cardio.” Ten years pass, and as the band have picked up massive traction touring the world with Flatspot darlings Speed, Richy asks vocalist Nitisart ‘Mike’ Chaiburi to help him with a guest spot. “ I just hit him up and said, Oh, can you do this track? I think you'll work really well on it. And then he did it. It just worked out seamlessly. Amazing band. Like, they brought back a sound that is kind of old now, but they've made it so fucking relevant.”

Closer to home, Desolated are part of Steel City’s royal metal family, MLVLTD, a collective of ruthless bands that have now become one of the biggest exports of UK hardcore. Desolated is an integral part of the roster, which includes heavyweights Malevolence, Guilt Trip, Rough Justice, Justice For The Damned, and Nasty, all with a wicked manifesto to bring beatdowns on a global scale. 

“We've worked with a lot of labels over the years, and because they're my friends, you just phone and just talk to them. For other labels, there's sort of, like, channels of communication. Like today, I just phoned Charlie. I mean, he was drunk in Australia listening to Pitbull. I love that.” 

Malevolence’s Charlie Thorpe is also a crucial part of the Desolated lineup, working with Richy and Les to shape the bulk of the album. On the drums, he provides the backbone of the Desolated operation, as Richy explains, “No one can do it quite like Charlie.”  When it comes to their final blistering track ‘Dead End 2025’, a re-recording of a demo the band played years ago, Richy believes he is the only one who can play it properly. 

In the time it has taken to release the new album, the band has evolved to become a supergroup. Idle Hand’s Tony Evans fronts the band, with Fifty Calibre’s Les Law wielding the guitar alongside Richy and bassist Dan Ford. ‘Finding Peace’ is a record that doesn’t need to demonstrate anything new, but it sure as hell has showcased that the band are still at the top of their game and masters of their craft. Polished to perfection, Will Putney’s clean approach to the record makes the breakdowns hit that much harder. Richy says that “Everything he touches turns to gold.”

Whilst Richy hopes that it will not take another nine years to make another Desolated record, his focus is now on touring and putting on some brutal live shows. At the beginning of the year, the band toured with Paleface Swiss, making their deathcore lineup run red with hardcore blood. “Those kids stood on the barrier did not see what was coming. A quarter of the way into the set, half of the barrier was facing the back of the room, because they were dodging fists. This is great. Like, this is just so much fun.” One of the things that Richy loves is playing with other artists of different genres, making sure the audience gets firmly acquainted with the world of Desolated. 

Richy believes that Desolated never truly had their time, but in the chaos of it all, creating a brutal new album and supporting the scene, Desolated have fought tooth and claw to be a pillar of a community that truly respects them. 

They are, indeed, one of the best to do it in UK hardcore.

Desolated's Finding Peace is out now via MLVLTD.

Words: Amber Brooks

Photos: Lizzie Jones and Ben Blisset

Cover Design: Simon Arinze

Cover Photo: Des Maddocks

With thanks to The Noise Cartel