Going Off: Meet the Manchester hardcore crew upholding the ideas of community, doing it yourself, and going hard all the time

Going Off say they make "aggressive music with elements of punk, hardcore and metal". All true, but what sticks out most about the Manchester quintet is an overriding sense of unity and the gritty feeling of being in it together, a band in the same postcode as the likes of NYHC legends Madball and London scene leaders Knuckledust, both in sound and outlook.

Back in March, they released the excellent What Makes You Tick, a bloodvessel-popping album of relatably angry noise that set them up as one of the finest new-ish outfits in the UK, not to mention one of the most loveably thuggish sounding. Now they're preparing to drop the equally aggy new EP Kill List in December, and head out on the road with Employed To Serve and Pupil Slicer this week.

As a warm-up, we got them to give us the lowdown on the new EP, hardcore, and what makes Going Off tick...

Everyone's welcome at a Going Off show, and it may as well be you and your mates on the stage. It's an all-for-all, DIY ethos the band are all about, one extended to anyone who wants to be a part of it.

"It’s great to see everyone let loose and express themselves," says singer Jake Huxley. "Inclusivity is a core principle for us. There's no gatekeeping here; we're all about unity. Whether you're a seasoned scene veteran or someone new to the experience, we extend a warm invitation to rock with us.

"To us, hardcore means everybody is equal. No egos. Everybody can do it. [It's about] DIY ethics, community and connection, constantly meeting new people and making friends across the world. It's real, authentic music that makes people move."

Latest singles Pay The Price and Bed Of Concrete are anger at real issues. The first is a furious warning against men who'd do women harm, and about what they have coming back to them, while the second is a frustrated look at Britain's growing homelessness crisis.

"Pay The Price is about the idea of predatory men having the very evil they inflict on women returned onto them tenfold," explains Jake. "The track speaks of the horrors women suffer, often in silence. It's something that boils our blood enough to 'go off' about. Pay The Price is about giving women confidence to know we'll listen when they speak, calling out men who turn a blind eye to what other are capable of, and these vile people getting their just desserts.

"Bed Of Concrete highlights my annoyance of the fact so many people are forced to suffer a life spent living in the streets," he continues. "There has always been a homelessness crisis in the UK that has gotten worse and worse as we've grown up. We have the resources and means to do more for the homeless but most people walk right by them."

Though most of what Going Off do is a sweaty slap to the head (a fun one), they're not over-testosteroned meatheads. See the song Smile, from Kill List, which deals with having to put up a front when you're just not feeling it, instead of showing what's really going on.

"Smile hits close to home for me, as it's a song about trying to make others realise that they don't have to force a grin every day just to keep up appearances," says Jake. "Life can be tough, and you're allowed to show your real emotions. You don't have to wear a fleshy mask of happiness to conceal how terrible you truly feel from the outside world."

Amongst all this, Going Off also have time to take a more philosophical path. It's something they wonder about on Servant To The Skin, a musing on the very flesh prison in which our spirits are contained.

"I've always been somewhat fascinated by the human body," says Jake. "The fact human consciousness is tethered to these vessels made up of flesh, blood and bone. We're bound to our bodies as they age and wither with time. It's another morbid thought of mine that I wanted to put into my music – the tone of the track definitely suited the theme so I just rolled with it."

If you're angry and fed up and need somewhere to get it all out, a Going Off show is the perfect place to do it. Like a party with more shouting, and more of a contact sport if you're so inclined, you'll emerge with a smile. And possibly some silly new bruises.

"It’s all about letting go, blowing off some steam and kicking off for 20 minutes," enthuses Jake. "We want people to feel like they’re in a safe space and can dance how they choose, let loose how they wish to and to connect with the music. It gets rowdy, but that’s what it’s all about – express yourself."

Going Off's Kill List EP is released on December 1 via Church Road. The band tour the UK with Employed To Serve and Pupil Slicer this week.

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