Cruel Hand

ByLets Go Punk
Cruel Hand is a hardcore punk band from Portland

Cruel Hand is a hardcore punk band from Portland, Maine that formed in 2006. The group began as a side project for members of Outbreak who wanted to switch up their instruments and explore heavier sounds. Since then, Cruel Hand has built a reputation for aggressive albums, non-stop touring, and a style that pulls from hardcore and metal traditions. They have released five full-length albums, multiple EPs, and performed across the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

How The Band Got Started

The band came together in Portland in 2006 when members of Outbreak decided to start something new. By trading instruments and reshaping their roles, they created Cruel Hand as a fresh outlet for their music. A year later, they released their debut full-length, Without a Pulse, on 6131 Records. To support it, they hit the road hard, touring the U.S. three times and completing a full European run while also playing alongside bands like Trash Talk and The Mongoloids.

Key Releases and Career Growth

After their debut, Cruel Hand signed with Bridge 9 Records for their second album, Prying Eyes, recorded at Getaway Recording Studios and God City Studios in 2008. The record showcased the band’s heavier leanings and expanded their audience within the hardcore community. In 2010 they released a self-titled 7-inch EP, previewing a track from their third full-length and including an unreleased song.

Their third album, Lock & Key, arrived in July 2010 on Bridge 9. With this release, Cruel Hand toured even more aggressively, adding Australia to their already packed U.S. and European tour schedule. By 2012, they were releasing new material again, dropping the single and video “Cheap Life.” Around this period, critics and fans often noted their influences, pointing to Cro-Mags, early Metallica, and Madball, while also comparing them to the Canadian hardcore band No Warning.

The band moved to Hopeless Records for their next two albums. The Negatives came out in 2014, followed by Your World Won’t Listen in 2016, both of which continued to develop their mix of hardcore and metal influences. Along the way, they also contributed the song “Face to Face” to the 2010 America’s Hardcore Compilation on Triple B Records.

Cruel Hand’s recording output has extended beyond full-lengths. They released several EPs over the years, including Life in Shambles (2008), Cruel Hand (2010), Vigilant Citizen (2013), Born Into Debt, We All Owe a Death (2013), and Dark Side of the Cage (2021). Each release has kept their name alive on tour posters and in punk record collections worldwide.

Members

  • Chris Linkovich – vocals
  • Andrew Budwey – guitar
  • Jeremy Breau – guitar
  • Seger Daily – bass
  • Ryan Goff – drums

Discography

Studio Albums:

  • Without a Pulse (2007, 6131 Records)
  • Prying Eyes (2008, Bridge 9 Records)
  • Lock & Key (2010, Bridge 9 Records)
  • The Negatives (2014, Hopeless Records)
  • Your World Won’t Listen (2016, Hopeless Records)

EPs:

  • Life in Shambles (2008, Bridge 9)
  • Cruel Hand (2010, Bridge 9)
  • Vigilant Citizen (2013, Triple B Records)
  • Born Into Debt, We All Owe a Death (2013, Closed Casket Activities)
  • Dark Side of the Cage (2021, Static Era Records)

Similar Posts