Mmmmmm… Cajun fried hardcore! Baton Rouge hardcore has always carried a particular kind of grit, and new Louisiana hardcore band By Any Means tap directly into that local tradition on their self-titled debut. Featuring former members of Decoy, the band brings together Jonah Smith on vocals, Matt Rumfellow and Bobby Burnette on guitar, Chris Rumfellow on bass, and Mike Burnette behind the drums. With two sets of brothers in the lineup and a clear connection to the Baton Rouge scene, there is an obvious sense of familiarity and chemistry running through these songs.

By Any Means aren't attempting to reinvent hardcore here, and honestly, that's part of the appeal. Their debut is built around the fundamentals: gigantic bass, dirty guitar tones, pounding drums, aggressive vocals, gang shouts, and breakdowns designed to turn a room into absolute chaos. The production gives the whole EP a grimy Southern heaviness, allowing the band to sound raw without becoming completely unmanageable.

"Kiss The Ring" immediately establishes that identity. The bass and drums hit with enormous weight while the guitars settle into thick, crushing grooves. Jonah Smith delivers the kind of commanding vocal performance that immediately gives the band authority, while the gang vocals make everything feel larger and more communal. The appearance from Baton Rouge rap legend Boosie Badazz is more of a hometown cameo than a transformative musical collaboration, but it fits the band's local identity and makes for an entertaining introduction.

The EP really locks into place with "Forsaken." This is arguably the most complete representation of what By Any Means are capable of. The production becomes slightly cleaner, giving the guitars more definition while preserving the low-end punch that makes the band so effective. The repeated chorus is incredibly easy to remember, and the constant backing vocals give it that classic hardcore feeling of something designed to be shouted back by a room full of people.

The rhythm section is especially important here. Chris Rumfellow's bass tone sits prominently beneath Mike Burnette's heavy drumming, creating a groove that feels physical rather than simply audible. The song doesn't need complicated arrangements to make an impression. It understands that a great hardcore groove can accomplish more than technical showmanship ever could. When the breakdown arrives, it feels inevitable, satisfying, and perfectly suited to the band's beatdown-influenced approach.

"B.A.M." initially takes a more deliberate approach. The opening relies heavily on slower chugs and repetition, and at first it feels like the band may be stretching the idea a little too far. As the track progresses, however, the arrangement gradually becomes more dynamic. Faster kick patterns, tighter guitar work, and small details such as pinch harmonics add movement without disrupting the straightforward nature of the songwriting.

That gradual development makes the closing breakdown considerably more effective. By Any Means aren't trying to overwhelm listeners with constant changes; instead, they understand the importance of building toward a payoff. The song ultimately becomes another strong example of the band's ability to make relatively simple ingredients sound massive.

The most interesting experiment arrives with "One Love," featuring Gridiron. The track begins exactly where you would expect it to, with dense riffs, powerful drums, gang vocals, and some of Jonah Smith's strongest screams. The additional vocalists add another layer of aggression, but then the band takes a sharp left turn.

The transition into slower instrumentation and melodic rap-influenced vocals is clearly intended to connect the band's hardcore foundation with Southern hip-hop culture. Conceptually, it makes sense given the band's Baton Rouge identity, but musically it doesn't completely land. Instead of naturally expanding the song, the change interrupts some of the momentum that had been building.

Thankfully, the heavy instrumentation eventually returns and restores the track's impact. The unexpected acoustic ending then takes things in yet another direction, making "One Love" the EP's biggest experiment and also its most uneven moment. Even though the execution isn't perfect, it's encouraging to hear a new band willing to take a risk rather than simply repeating the same breakdown four times.

Across the entire EP, Jonah Smith proves to be one of the band's strongest assets. His vocals are consistently powerful and aggressive without becoming overly theatrical. The deep screams fit naturally against the thick guitar and bass tones, while the gang vocals give the songs the communal energy that is essential to hardcore.

The guitars aren't particularly interested in technical flash, but they don't need to be. Their job is to create weight, groove, and memorable moments, and they accomplish that effectively. The bass is arguably even more important, frequently sitting high enough in the mix to become an active part of the songwriting rather than simply reinforcing the guitars. Meanwhile, the drums provide the foundation for all those mosh-heavy transitions, with the heavier kick patterns and breakdowns providing some of the EP's biggest moments.

What ultimately makes By Any Means work is its authenticity. There is a sense that these musicians understand the scene they're playing within and aren't trying to manufacture an identity from outside influences. The Baton Rouge connection is present throughout the release, and the combination of hardcore, beatdown, groove, and Southern rap culture gives the band an interesting foundation to develop.

There are weaknesses. Some of the slower sections could use more variation, and "One Love" demonstrates that the band's experimentation still needs some refinement. But those are reasonable growing pains for a new project. The core ingredients are already here: strong chemistry, crushing rhythm work, memorable vocals, thick production, and an obvious understanding of what makes hardcore work in a live setting.

Ultimately, By Any Means is a promising debut from a band that clearly has something to prove. They don't need to reinvent hardcore; they need to continue sharpening what they already do well. If future releases build on the weight and groove of "Forsaken" while finding more natural ways to incorporate their Southern influences, By Any Means could become a serious name within the Baton Rouge and broader Southern hardcore scenes.

For fans of beatdown, groove-heavy hardcore, Southern hardcore, and mosh-ready metallic aggression, this self-titled debut is absolutely worth checking out.