At the dawn of the ‘80s, New York City was mired in debt and crime, grappling with one of the most trying periods in its history. Yet ironically (or perhaps fittingly), its underground music scene was seething with activity like never before. Still reeling from the violent inception and subsequent implosion of punk rock, hundreds of underprivileged kids living in Manhattan and its outlying boroughs began forming rock groups to rail against the everyday trials, dangers, and prejudices of urban existence. Like other urban centres (most notably L.A. and Washington, D.C.) equally affected by the recession-laced early years of Reaganomics, New York became a melting pot for a flourishing hardcore scene – a cultural phenomenon that used punk rock as a platform for politically charged, inherently regional musical catharsis.

Though it would eventually splinter into countless subgenres, at least initially New York Hard Core (NYHC) far superseded the original punk movement’s ragged collective (known as much for art rockers like Talking Heads and Television as it was for “true” punks like the Ramones and Dictators) in terms of a cohesive creative vision. Among the bands at the forefront of this united, seemingly unstoppable army were Agnostic Front, whose frantic, minimalist assault and socio-political rants came to epitomise the essence of hardcore, New York City style.

Since 1982, Agnostic Front have been amongst the most venerable and notorious outcasts of the New York hardcore movement. From the start, Agnostic Front released a catalogue of fast and violent hardcore punk tunes consisting of distinctive and aggressive music with a non-stop barrage of chaotic vocals. Long outliving their now-legendary contemporaries like Minor Threat, SSDecontrol, Dead Kennedys and Black Flag, Agnostic Front could easily live off their laurels, but their fight is yet over. With the recent release of Another Voice, the band’s eighth studio album, Agnostic Front will again be touring Australia; the first since 1997.

Saturday April 21 – Club Phoenix (Brisbane). Tickets on sale from Skinnys, Mosh Pit, Rockinghorse, Sunflower Music, Music Mania, Butter Beats and www.resistrecords.com

Sunday April 22 – Annandale (Sydney). Tickets on sale from the Annandale Hotel and www.annandalehotel.com .

Monday April 23 – Jamieson Inn (Canberra; licensed / all ages). Tickets on sale from the Moshtix outlets and www.annandalehotel.com .

Wednesday April 25 – Enigma Bar (Adelaide). Tickets on sale from CIB, Venue, Tix outlets and www.resistrecords.com .

Thursday April 26 – The Arthouse (Melbourne). Tickets on sale from Missing Link and www.resistrecords.com .

Friday April 27 – The Arthouse (Melbourne). Tickets on sale from Missing Link and www.resistrecords.com .

Another Voice is out now through Nuclear Blast.