REVIEW: End It - Wrong Side of Heaven

Hardcore isn’t just a genre, it's also an attitude - and no band encapsulates this like Baltimore’s End It. With their explosive debut album Wrong Side of Heaven, the band have very much cemented themselves as heavy hitters within the hardcore scene. The fast, angsty and candid delivery mixed with the exploration of themes surrounding politics, ethics and integrity within the hardcore scene make for a truly classic hardcore album. Having reached success with their single ‘New Age Slavery’,  which features in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skate 3+4, the hype surrounding this project is real. Wrong Side of Heaven is a true representation of classic hardcore in the modern scene, and the whole album feels like a real love letter to the foundations of East Coast US hardcore.

The title track, and opener of the album, is an incendiary track that acts like a volcanic eruption upon first listen. The thrash influence immediately makes itself known through the work of guitarist, Ray Lee. With an intense two step part that almost summons your feet to tap along and riffs that are instantly reminiscent of classic hardcore bands like Maximum Penalty and Inside Out, this song sets the perfect precedent of what’s to come out of this album. No doubt, a very strong opener from End It. 

‘Billion Dollar Question’ allows the raw and angsty delivery of vocalist Akil Godsey to take centre stage within the sonic landscape of the track. The groovy rhythms of the song are evocative of Trapped Under Ice and the lyrical themes explored within the track are fierce  with lines like "Who must die to keep you in your luxury?"

Throughout the album, End It stays true to the values and ethics of the hardcore scene. Hardcore always has been and always will be radically political and this theme is at the forefront of this album. A track that highlights this perfectly is ‘Anti-Colonial’. The abrasive and candid lyricism on this song is incredibly impactful within the global political context of the moment. Lyrics like "There’s no reason for these children to die today" are a clear and powerful commentary on the multiple genocides happening across the world. The lyrics, paired with the melodic flow of Godsey and the groove centred instrumental, create an undisputed banger and a real stand out on the album.

Just when you feel like you have the record figured out, the penultimate track, a cover of Maximum Penalty’s ‘Could You Love Me?’ offers an almost jarring juxtaposition to the rest of the album. The soulful clean vocals offer something completely different from the rest of the album which is a welcome change of pace. Godsey’s vocal delivery is perfect and really reminds the listener of why they fell in love with the genre in the first place as well as introducing a new generation of hardcore fans to the classics. Again, the band shows great admiration for the early titans of hardcore and this particular track really serves as a love letter to hardcore. 

Closing the album is the behemoth track, ‘Empire’s Demise’. Another absolutely radical and unapologetic politically charged song. The song offers a critical commentary of the ongoing political situation in the United States. An intense and thought-provoking anthem that is incredibly true to End It, both sonically and lyrically. A particular highlight would be the line "250 years. Empires can not last. I hope the end comes quicker than that", which sums up the feelings of an undoubtedly large portion of their fanbase. The bouncy drums in the track are perfect for a live environment and will undoubtedly get the moshers going, whilst the outro of the track is a cacophony of sound with an intense swirl into insanity. A perfect close to this project. The production and mixing throughout the album are also stellar, with the band having worked with legend of the scene, Brian McTernan who has worked with countless artists including Converge, Turnstile and Angel Du$t. 

Wrong Side of Heaven as a whole feels like a critique on the global political climate, as well as serving as an admiration of hardcore as a whole. This album has the foundations to solidify itself as a genre-defining album, even when it's so reflective of its influences. We're so excited to see what this project brings for End It and would highly recommend a listen to this fast, passionate and cohesive project. 

Score: 8/10

Wrong Side of Heaven will be released on August 29th 2025 via Flatspot Records.

Words: India Akca

Photos: End It