(Hed) P.E. Rock an Aggressive ‘Riddim’ on New Song ‘First Blood’

Class of 2020 is in session, and (Hed) P.E. will kick things off with their new single, "First Blood."

The track is an absolute barnburner, with frontman Jared Gomes unleashing pure aggression early, even delving into a bit of a reggae-esque delivery before pulling back to a more melodic chorus, but the energy stays high and in-your-face throughout.

"I wanted it to sound like the best garage band ever. Like you went to your friend's band practice and were totally blown away," says frontman Jared Gomes. "This track kicks off the record, and I can't wait to open the show with it at a club near you. It will fuckin shred. One guitar, one bass, one riddim, one mic. Definitely some '70s punk rock influence. The Clash and Minor Threat were on my mind a lot. The pendulum swung and whereas the last album was futuristic; this one is bare bones. These tracks will translate in the club. Straight up non-apologetic 'Merican rock 'n' roll."

"First Blood" is featured on Class of 2020, (Hed) P.E.'s twelfth studio album, which is due through Suburban Noize Records on Aug. 21. The title not only reflects the current year, but was also meant as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the group's breakthrough album, Broke.

Gomes says of the new album process, "We were on the road in the middle of a tour when the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force. Like everyone else on the planet, we were faced with some unprecedented challenges. As a small business owner of an independent band, I was faced with an additional set of challenges with the tour being canceled and making it back home from Rhode Island to Idaho. When I got home, I immediately got inspired creatively and hit the studio to smash out this record. For this one, we took it all back to our roots with a back-to-basics approach to try and capture that true G-Punk sound of our earlier albums."

If you like what you hear, (Hed) P.E.'s Class of 2020 is currently available to pre-order at this location.

(Hed) P.E., "First Blood"

(Hed) P.E., Class of 2020 Artwork + Track Listing

1. First Blood
2. Watch It Burn
3. No Days Off
4. Death Awaits
5. Last Call
6. Ole Time Sake
7. Greedy Girl
8. Nothing Lasts 4ever (The Ballad of C19)
9. We the People
10. Overdue

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