Baltimore hardcore act Angel Du$t have returned with a new double single “Very Aggressive” / “Love Slam” — their first new music since 2021.
With lead singer Justice Tripp as the centerpiece, Angel Du$t have functioned as a Baltimore hardcore collective of sorts. Most notably, Turnstile’s Daniel Fang, Pat McCrory, and Brendan Yates have been members of the band. On the new songs, Fang shares drums/percussion duties with Thomas Cantwell alongside Daniel Star on guitar, Steve Marino on bass, and Tripp on guitar/vocals.
The single’s A-side, “Very Aggressive,” features guest vocals from Citizen’s Mat Kerekes and is somewhat misleading in nomenclature. While the breakneck tempo, chugging bass line, and Wipers-esque chord voicing are rooted in the more aggro field of punk, Tripp’s knack for melody shines through in the arrangement and anthemic quality of the track, which verges on garage-y power pop.
“There’s this certain spirit I’m looking for in all music,” Tripp said via a press release. “I tried to capture a lot of different eras of rock music in this one song.”
“Very Aggressive” and its B-side, the bouncy “Love Slam” (a callback to the 2013 track “Slam”), are the first Angel Du$t tracks produced by Tripp himself, signaling a new era of creative control for a project that formed roughly a decade ago.
“I think what’s important about that is the freedom to try anything you have in mind,” Tripp said. “Rock and roll is such a broad spectrum of music but I think sometimes people will focus in on just one thing. I wanted to try and represent a lot of different angles — all of the things Angel Du$t has been so far. It feels like we’re just totally off the leash.”
The double single arrives in time for Angel Du$t’s May/June dates, which kick off May 17th in Charlotte, North Carolina, and run through June 17th in Los Angeles. You can pick up tickets here.
Below you can stream both new songs and see the band’s complete tour itinerary.
“Very Aggressive” / “Love Slam” Artwork:
Angel Du$t 2023 Tour Dates:
05/17 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor *
05/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5 *
05/20 – Miami, FL @ Gramps *
05/21 – Daytona, FL @ Welcome To Rockville Fest
05/22 – Columbia, SC @ The New Brookland Tavern *
05/23 – Asheville, NC @ Different World *
05/24 – Louisville, KY @ Mag Bar *
05/25 – Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Fest
05/26 – New Kensington, PA @ Preserving Underground *
05/27 – Richmond, VA @ The Warehouse *
06/07 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick +
06/08 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst Atrium +
06/09 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall +
06/10 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlows ^
06/12 – Las Vegas, NV @ Eagle Aerie Hall ^
06/13 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress +
06/14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge ^
06/15 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s ^
06/16 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room ^
06/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room %
* = w/ Life’s Question, Jivebomb
^ = w/ End It
+ = w/ Narrowhead, Lil Aaron, and End It
% = w/ End It and Dead Heat