When Does This Place Become Our Scene

<b>The Norwegian hardcore trio taps into wisdom from other punk communities.</b> Norwegian hardcore trio Hammok take a giant leap on their second album, tying their own unique strand of post-punk into the sprawling ecosystem they’ve encountered while touring across the world. <i>When Does This Place Become Our Scene</i> examines the cultural ties that bring different hardcore communities together, a concept that the band began iterating on while on tour in Europe. On opener <b>“The Scene”</b>, Tobias Osland screams, “Is this us or am I alone?”, while on <b>“Groundbreaker”</b>, the band brings noise and math rock influences to the forefront, layering piercing guitars with drums barely tethered to the rhythm. It’s a statement about what hardcore can be, a declaration that the genre exists wherever Hammok are playing.